NICE would rather have people die than fund some treatments. Kill the QUANGO, not the patients

steve tea, manchester, chester

The right to life is fundamental - individuals fulfil that responsibility by doing what they can to preserve their lives. The law is dismissive of penalties and arbitrary political decisions which essentially penalise self-help must fail.
There should be no debate; lives are being lost.

Leslie Simon, Stratford-upon-Avon, England

Well Done to those trusts. They have placed patient care above arbitrary dogma and cash limited treatment. Sadly in Southend the rule is vigorously enforced by a self proclaimed baptist. Hypocracy rather than Hypocratic I think.

KevinR, Southend-on-Sea, UK

How can a ban possibly be enforced? Have two GPs , one private, one NHS. Alternatively go to Brussels etc for the day. The private or foreign Doctors needed divulge information to the NHS if it is against the patient,s wishes and they can advise on any clashes of prescription or treatment.

Peter McCann, Gozo, Malta

Let the National Institute for Health and Excellence (NICE ) give a ruling on this just as it does so on many other NHS issues warranting cost-effectiveness.

If NICE is shunning this minefield. then , why not appoint a Royal Commission. After all, this is a major ethical issue for us all.

Dr.Abdul Jaleel, Darlington , United Kingdom

"Against the principles of the Health Service?" Could it be the discrediited principle of 'equal misery for all" that we binned when the post-WW2 Labour government was thrown out? If not, then what 'principle'? More 'upside-down', Smoke and Mirrors, political non-thinking dogmatism?

Paul Muller, Pattaya, Thailand

Top up payments are not contrary to the fundamental principles of the NHS. They are contrary to the wishes of the very unprincipled NHS Secretary Alan Johnson. This elitist government who have had the very best of everything from education to health but are not happy for hard working Brits to have.

John Moore, Paphos, Cyprus