Interferon fails to save boy

Press, 17 July 1980, Page 6

Interferon fails to save boy

NZPA Glasgow A 17-year-old boy who was being treated with the controversial cancer drug. Interferon, has died after collapsing at his Glasgow home. Peter Flynn had been receiving injections of the drug — said to be the most expensive in the world — since March in an attempt to combat a large facial tumour.

Dr Tom McAllister, the consultant bacteriologist who arranged for a supply of Interferon to be flown from Denmark to: treat Peter, said: “All that, we .can say i§ that we tried our best.” ■ ■ . He added “to future, con-

trolled trials will decide the kind of case for treatment We , must choose the rignt case at the right time.” Interferon is based on naturally occurring anti-disease products of the body. It was developed more than ‘.a decade ago but research on it languished until recently when new studies showed that it was potentially very effective in dealing wire cancers that were far advanced and hitherto untreatable.

Dr McAllister,' at present on holiday in America, was at the centre of controversy when he was accused by some other consultants or “jumping the gun” in his use of Interferon. The drug is hard to manufacture, very expensive, and very scarce, |