THE mum of brave Bradley Lowery has urged health bosses and pharmaceutical firms to reach a deal to allow a treatment which could help save youngsters battling the condition which killed him to be made available on the NHS.

Last week, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) said it would like to recommend dinutuximab beta for inclusion in the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF), but it was currently too expensive to do so.

It said although there was “still substantial uncertainty about its long-term benefits”, evidence suggests dinutuximab beta could increase overall survival compared with current treatments.

Gemma Lowery said she hoped a compromise could be reached to make the drug available on the NHS: “Bradley had very aggressive neuroblastoma, and it took a lot of treatment to clear him of this awful disease,” she said.

“One of the treatments he was given was dinutuximab beta. This drug cleared Bradley of the stubborn disease that would not clear with conventional radio or chemo treatments. We had 18 very happy months with Bradley after being given the all clear. This I believe would not have happened without the dinutuximab beta antibody.”

“We at the Bradley Lowery Foundation have had many discussions regarding the antibody, and reading the statements from NICE, they have acknowledged that the Dinutuxmab is beneficial in front line treatment for neuroblastoma but overall, it is not cost effective to the NHS. We acknowledge this and we are confident that with meetings between the pharmaceutical companies, NICE, neuroblastoma charities and NHS England, that a more sustainable price can be established.

“As a foundation we see first hand how this drug benefits children who suffer with neuroblastoma. It is being used in the USA as well as other EU countries, we feel that if an agreement is not reached, we as a country will fall behind the many countries who currently use this antibody for neuroblastoma front line treatment.

“Our NHS is fantastic and we do understand that the drugs we need to treat these children do come at a high cost, but ethically, should the cost of the treatment for a small portion of the children who are diagnosed every year even come into it?

“We hope the right decision is made, I know first hand how good this drug is, and after speaking with many parents of children who have neuroblastoma, this will be devastating news if this treatment does not become front line treatment on the NHS.”

Neuroblastoma develops from specialised nerve cells (neuroblasts) left behind from a baby’s development in the womb and affects about100 children each year in the UK, most commonly under the age of five.

Bradley, six, from Blackhall, County Durham, died in July last year after being diagnosed with neuroblastoma when he was 18-months-old. The Sunderland fan was a mascot for his beloved club along with Everton and England as he battled the condition.