Hansard

The final item of business this evening is a members’ business debate on motion S6M-14784, in the name of Clare Adamson, on pancreatic cancer awareness month and world pancreatic cancer day 2024. The debate will be concluded without any question being put. I invite members who wish to participate to press their request-to-speak buttons now or as soon as possible, and I invite Clare Adamson to open the debate.

Motion debated,

That the Parliament marks Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, which takes place every November, and World Pancreatic Cancer Day, which takes place on 21 November 2024; believes that, for decades, pancreatic cancer has been left behind, receiving just 3% of the UK cancer research budget; considers that an increase in long-term investment in such research could transform persistent low survival rates; welcomes Pancreatic Cancer UK’s recent announcement of nearly £600,000 in funding for research taking place in Scotland into early diagnosis and treatment for the disease; acknowledges that pancreatic cancer is tough to detect and diagnose and understands that, once diagnosed, only three out of 10 people get any treatment, the lowest proportion of all cancer types; acknowledges that half of people die within three months of diagnosis; believes that, once diagnosed, people often face obstacles getting the information and care that they need to be well enough to have treatment, with scarce patient experience data and many people feeling “written off”, with no support plan in place or help to manage symptoms; understands that, at present, there are shortages in the availability of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT), directly affecting the quality of life for people living with pancreatic cancer and other conditions; commends the health professionals and pancreatic cancer charities coming together to develop holistic support and guidance on what to do if a patient is running low or cannot get PERT; further commends all of the charities and activist organisations, and their dedicated supporters, on what it sees as their tireless efforts to improve outcomes for people with this condition, and wishes everyone involved with Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month and World Pancreatic Cancer Day every success in raising awareness of this devastating disease.