Activist Vicky Phelan urges the government to make an anti-cancer drug available to all Irish women

Vicky Phelan, survivor of CervicalCheck, urged the government to make treatment available to women in Ireland.

The drug, pembrolizumab, significantly reduced Ms. Phelan's cancerous tumors in just three doses.

Pembrolizumab is offered to 221 women who have been struck by the CervicalCheck scandal.

But the activist said the treatment should be available to all women who may need it.

The Kilkenny native said she was uncomfortable knowing that she had access, unlike others.

Phelan said Tuesday night at the Claire Byrne Show: "For me, nothing goes further if you can target this drug and your score is high and your tumor will respond, you can live with this disease."

The mother of two, now living in Annacotty, Limerick, unveiled the scandal after filing a High Court suit against HSE and Clinical Pathology Laboratories Inc. in Austin, Texas, for testing. inaccurate smear.

The pembro treatment costs 8,500 euros for one dose every three weeks.

Patients are advised to take it for two years.

Aine Morgan from Galway also spoke about the program. She said the pembro was her only option since her chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Ms. Morgan requested that the drug be part of a clinical trial because of its exorbitant cost.

The treatment is reimbursed by the HSE to patients meeting specific criteria for certain types of melanoma and lung cancer.