Do the NHS miss the best?

I earlier said Jan's radiologist had given her advice that was not in her best interest.

There is a product named Cavilon that helps protect against damage to the skin during radiotherapy. I can find trials for its use in Australia, South Africa, USA, and even references in our NHS at Leeds and Bath. Yet when we twice ask can we use it the answer is NO. They prefer their traditional moisturising cream....

Jan's radiologist seems unaware of such developments, even though the Australian trial started in 2004. How come I can find it with a simple Google search yet our NHS radiologist is unaware of it? Just as they were unaware of the PRIME radiotherapy trial which could cut the need for any radiotherapy for people like Jan. This is a trial that my taxes are funding, why cannot we even be aware of the possible benefits?

I despair......80% or folk get skin reactions to radiotherapy, yet our team are unaware of this treatment, which cuts the incidence of some cases by 33% from trial data to date. Is 33% not worth it?

Yesterday Jan's friend who has now completed radiotherapy phoned. Her skin continues to deteriorate, and is so bad her doctors reckon she will need to be off work until 23 June. Yes, it doesn't stop deteriorating once radiotherapy ceases. So another 8 weeks loss of pay and work from her, when Cavilon costs less than £12 a bottle. Is it the cost of Cavilon hits the NHS budget, whereas 8 weeks loss of pay does not?

For more info on Cavilon see my post dated April 1st, where I link to photographic evidence.

I will willing to pay for Cavilon myself, and have no links to 3M, the makers of Cavilon. This is not a commercial! Yet does it illustrate a more serious underlying problem?

Cavilon is not a quack product with unscientific claims unlike so many health food remedies. It is made by 3M, the makers of Post it notes amongst other plastic products. 3M already supply to the NHS. Their research is done by university professors. If radiologists at one of the top NHS hospitals are unaware of this, would they also be unaware of important breakthroughs in cancer treatment and care, such as may have been found by Professor Jane Plant?

Can we trust their dietary advice? Would they recognise a better treatment if it was available?