Why is it so important that Ashya King receive the most dangerous treatment choice?

Last Updated: September 1, 2014By Tags: , , , , , , ,

http://youtu.be/vYSKyY12LEg

It is hard to understand the behaviour of the British authorities towards the family of Ashya King.

Here is a child with a tumour known as medulloblastoma – a serious condition that is hard to treat, with only two options that have been shown to the general public.

The treatment protocol on offer at Southampton General Hospital is called the packer regime and includes high dose radiotherapy to the entire neck, back, head and spine and a prolonged chemotherapy cycle with vincristine and cisplatin – all of which are cytoxic drugs with devastating side effects.

The drugs cause hearing loss, neuropathy and kidney damage; and the long-term effects of the regime include pituitary gland deformity and secondary malignant tumours. Vox Political is advised that it is commonly known that unfortunately the regime often has devastating effects long term.

The problem with medulloblastoma is that if even a small amount of tumour is left over after resection, the tumour can grow back very quickly; this is why the chemo- and radiotherapy is commenced so quickly after the tumour is removed.

The other side effect of cranial resection arise from the fact that the entry port of the skull is not replaced, leaving a hole that – although sutured – can and does represent a serious risk of brain infection; also the pressure of the meningeal fluid is altered.

The other treatment is proton beam therapy, a type of radiation therapy that uses beams of protons – or small parts of atoms – rather than high energy X-rays, as with conventional radiotherapy.

The protons can be directed at a tumour more precisely than X-rays and unlike conventional treatments the beams stop once they hit the target, rather than carrying on through the body. Experts say this causes less damage to surrounding tissue and reduces side-effects.

On a level playing field, the choice would be a no-brainer. But this isn’t a level playing field. The King family were refused the option of proton beam therapy by doctors at Southampton, apparently because of the cost – £100,000 per patient, although this appears to be based on the cost of sending Ashya to the USA, which is the most expensive country in which the treatment is provided.

His family want him to have the proton beam treatment in the Czech republic, which is much cheaper, and intended to pay for the treatment themselves.

This is where the story takes on a more sinister aspect, because the doctors at Southampton – along with the police – have decided to overrule one of the most important principles of healthcare – that the patient must consent to treatment.

In the case of people aged under 16, a person with parental responsibility must give consent for treatment to to take place, unless the patient has the understanding and intelligence to appreciate what is involved.

If the person with parental responsibility refuses treatment and doctors believe that decision could lead to death or severe permanent injury an application can be made to the court of protection to overrule them.

Ashya’s parents did not consent to the treatment on offer. Who can blame them, when one considers the terrible and lasting side-effects that are likely, alongside the fact that a much less harmful treatment seemed to be available but was being denied to them?

That is why they took their son out of the hospital and travelled to Europe – stopping in Spain on their way to the Czech Republic, where it seems they have arranged for treatment to take place. The diversion was in order to sell property there, in order to pay for the treatment.

In these circumstances – and especially in the light of the fact that Ashya seems to be as well as can be expected at the moment, receiving treatment in a Spanish hospital – it is hard to understand why the hospital had him made a ward of court and Hampshire Police obtained a European Arrest Warrant on the grounds that the Kings were neglecting their son.

The truth appears to be quite the opposite – Ashya would suffer more serious harm at the hands of the Southampton doctors.

Parents Brett and Naghemeh King were arrested on Saturday, despite the fact that no crime has been alleged against them. Appearing in court in Madrid today, they refused to consent to extradition and a High Court judge in that country is now considering whether to grant bail.

While it is reasonable to allege that Mr and Mrs King endangered their son by removing him from hospital, it must also be recognised that they were put into a situation where neither of the choices available to them were desirable and they had to choose what they believed to be the lesser of two evils.

Now they are sitting in jail while the British authorities – both the NHS and the police – await their opportunity to seize their son and subject him to a process that may relieve the immediate danger to his life but will almost certainly – and irreparably – harm the quality of that life.

And in the midst of all this, Downing Street has issued a statement in support of the British authorities, saying – with no apparent irony – that Ashya should receive “the very best medical care”.

It seems the Prime Minister is keen to ensure the next British medical scandal is a really big one.

If you wish to support the family of Ashya King, there is a petition you can sign, here.

There is a Facebook page about Ashya’s case here.

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26 Comments

  1. Jim Round September 1, 2014 at 4:29 pm - Reply

    Worth remembering that there have been over 300 Proton Beam Treatments paid for by the NHS over the past six years, also of note is that in his youtube video, the father says that doctors said that in this case PTB would have no effect.
    This looks suspiciously like an agenda to put the boot into the NHS again.

    • Mike Sivier September 1, 2014 at 5:16 pm - Reply

      I could not agree more.
      Despicable – I mean absolutely loathesome – that they are willing to harm a child’s health on the way.

    • Callie Blackwell September 1, 2014 at 5:34 pm - Reply

      That’s what I was thinking that this is yet another way to bad mouth the NHS so when they sell it, no one will care as it’s so damaged anyway. The NHS is not the issue, the state having procedures in place where if you say no to treatment that you are made a criminal.

  2. Rob J Wills September 1, 2014 at 4:57 pm - Reply

    One small correction: I heard on the TV news, it may also be in one of the family news releases, that the reason they are in Spain is to sell property to pay for the proton beam treatment.

    • Mike Sivier September 1, 2014 at 5:18 pm - Reply

      Thanks for that – I was aware of this detail but managed to omit it from the article.
      I’ve just added it in, due to your prompt.

      • Rob J Wills September 1, 2014 at 5:25 pm - Reply

        Always like to help, there are other matters on my Facebook page that may interest your readers.

  3. Chris Kitcher September 1, 2014 at 4:59 pm - Reply

    Whilst I feel very sorry for the parents of Ashya I do feel that the whole of this sorry situation is once again the effects of the governments austerity drive.

    Firstly I think that we have to ask why when Czech Republic can afford this treatment why can’t the UK which we are constantly told is the seventh largest economy in the world.

    Secondly I can understand the parents fear of mentioning the plan to take their son to the Czech Republic as this would have involved the authorities applying for a court order to stop them. Once again cuts to legal aid have put the defence of such actions outwith the reach of the parents who needed to maximise all of their assets in order to afford the treatment.

    Thirdly, Why is the only treatment option for the UK health authorities that in the USA. Surely the Czech option is cheaper but could it be that the government is currying favour with US health companies in the lead up to the TTIP.

    As an end note I have tried, without success, to rationalise why his parents had to visit the Czech Republic via Spain?

    • Mike Sivier September 1, 2014 at 5:20 pm - Reply

      You make excellent points.
      For the answer to your question, see Rob Wills’ comment and note that I have added the necessary information to the article.

  4. amnesiaclinic September 1, 2014 at 5:39 pm - Reply

    I think it is all much more sinister – children no longer belong to their parents but the state as witnessed by all the secret family courts and snatched by the state for spurious reasons.
    We’re all part of the EU stasi now.
    x

    • Chris Kitcher September 1, 2014 at 7:50 pm - Reply

      Xxx’x xx xx xx**xxx xxxx.

      • Mike Sivier September 1, 2014 at 8:33 pm - Reply

        Chris – I’ve edited your reply to amnesiaclinic away in its entirety because you were attacking the other commenter and not adding anything to the discussion.
        We have a rule on this site that can colloquially be described as “Play the ball, not the man”.
        I reckon you’re aware enough to be able to write a decent response to what amnesiaclinic was suggesting and I’d like to read that, rather than a personal attack.

  5. Phil Smart September 1, 2014 at 6:04 pm - Reply

    Firstly, here’s info on how to get proton beam therapy for children on the NHS;

    http://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/pbt-paeds.pdf

    Secondly, when you register the birth the ownership of the value of that child is given to the state and the parent becomes the registered keeper…nothing more and that is how they can coerce and force parents to do as there told…just like a car they can take it away because they actually own it…..he child belongs to the state

  6. Guy Ropes September 1, 2014 at 6:23 pm - Reply

    This ‘story’ is handy for the PTB for the reasons mentioned above and it is also very useful in helping to keep the sheeple’s minds away from the Rotherham outrage in respect of which “they” effectively appear to be going to do zilch in consequence.

    • Stephen Bee September 2, 2014 at 3:34 am - Reply

      Likewise..the almost daily expose of child abuse and pedos seems to be growing daily…BUT STILL no mention of the KNOWN Parliamentary abusers and how far that investigation has gone yet??? I smell cover up..

  7. jaypot2012 September 1, 2014 at 6:33 pm - Reply

    I’ve just heard that a charity for kids with cancer are going to fund Ashya’s treatment which is fantastic news. However, this child and his family should never have been put into this position in the first place.
    The family took their son, with all the medications and his feeds, to Spain, so that they could sell some property to fund his treatment in the Czech Republic, where it is cheaper than the US.
    I have every sympathy for this family, they chose not to go with the treatment in the UK and because of that, they have been made to look like criminals and have had their son removed.
    All this ho-ha because the doctors wouldn’t even consider any other treatment.

  8. cers121 September 1, 2014 at 8:01 pm - Reply

    I donated today and want to wish you get Justice very soon to get the help & treatment you need and that the despicable way you have been treated will be stopped so you can be with your family Much Love x

    • Mike Sivier September 1, 2014 at 8:33 pm - Reply

      I’m not Ashya King!

  9. Nick September 1, 2014 at 8:51 pm - Reply

    Many children are removed from hospitals like great ormand street when their treatment stops working to go on to the usa for further treatment so am unsure of why the police were involved

    A parent such as in this case was seeking the best treatment for their child but it’s expensive

    Had this child been a member of the royal family then all would have been well and their is no way the police would have been involved at all and that’s how a judge will find this if it ever gets to court of which it wont

  10. brenda mumsy mcnamara September 1, 2014 at 9:49 pm - Reply

    this child maybe has only days weeks to be with his family please don’t deny the CHILD FROM HIS SIBLINGS AND PARENTS ,they did what they thought was right ,GET THE MONEY AND PAY FOR HIS TREATMENT IN ANY COUNTRY THAT WILL DO IT <DO IT NOW <HIS TIMES RUNNING OUT .CAMERON INTERVENE NOW

    • Mike Sivier September 1, 2014 at 10:04 pm - Reply

      CAMERON intervene now?
      If he were to intervene, it would be against this family!

  11. Justin Walker September 2, 2014 at 7:49 am - Reply

    Check out the inventions and discoveries of Dr Royal Raymond Rife and Nikola Tesla – the medicine of biophysics is the way forward for humanity…..but the banking cartel and big pharma don’t want you to know.

  12. casalealex September 2, 2014 at 8:20 am - Reply

    http://www.change.org/p/police-reunite-ashya-with-his-parents?share_id=VTbQGmldtF&utm_campaign=share_button_action_box&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition 96,118 and counting…… PLEASE PLEASE sign this petition. I am appalled at the callous disregard for these parents who are trying to save the life of their son. If we do not stand up against this appalling use of state interference then next time it will be someone close to you!

    • Tony Dean September 2, 2014 at 2:55 pm - Reply

      I have just got this email:-

      ethan dallas

      Portsmouth

      2 Sep 2014 — Thank you so much – all 140,000 of you! – who have signed this petition in support of reuniting Ashya with his parents.

      The response has been amazing! I’ve just taken the petition to Downing Street.

      I’m 16 years-old and never thought I would be stood in front of 10 Downing Street delivering a message to the Prime Minister, but when I saw what was happening to our neighbours, the King family, I knew I had to do something and so started this petition on change.org.

      I have addressed the petition to David Cameron, Nick Clegg and the Crown Prosecution Service. All of whom have some power to help reunite Ashya with his parents. I hope that they use it.

      I spoke to Ashya’s brother last night and he is so thankful you to everyone that is supporting them.

      Let’s keep going and sharing the petition until this family is back together. Tell your friends and family to sign at http://www.change.org/AshyaKing

      Thank you,
      Ethan

      • Mike Sivier September 2, 2014 at 5:17 pm - Reply

        It seems that Ashya’s parents are to be reunited with him after the CPS decided to withdraw the European Arrest Warrant.
        However, Naveed has said that this story is not yet over, so we’ll need to await the next chapter.

  13. wordblender September 2, 2014 at 4:42 pm - Reply

    I actually thought that the NHS is supposed to be flawless. So where is the Tory/Ukip argument that Eastern Europeans come to the UK in order to exploit this unique service? Isn’t their health service actually better?

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