There is something seriously wrong with the culture of the Paediatric Dept. of Southampton General Hospital. According to the BBC News Website the hospital yesterday said in a statement:
University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust had said Ashya’s chances of recovery with regular treatment were “very good”, but stressed there was “no benefit to him of proton radiotherapy over standard radiotherapy”.
This is not true. Yes both therapies are equally effective at dealing with the cancer, but ordinary radiotherapy can affect healthy brain tissue adjacent to the cancer site with potential permanent impairment of brain function. Proton beams are precisely targeted to only the affected area and are without the potential damaging side effects. This information is all over the internet and the TV news, with graphics to demonstrate, together with case histories of lives saved.
What planet is this hospital on?