{"success":true,"data":{"id":"c040cee6-ca05-4fde-b58e-004efb792e70","title":"Cancer drug fiasco shows why Burnham must focus on Britain in Europe","summary":"Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. Not now Yes please US Edition Change Support Now NewsNews World CupWorld Cup SportsSports CultureCulture LifestyleLifestyle MoneyMoney TravelTravel PremiumPremium More More Thank you for regi...","content":"## Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent\n\nNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.\n\nNot now Yes please\n\nUS Edition Change\n\nSupport Now\n\n*   News[News](https://www.independent.co.uk/us)\n\n*   World Cup[World Cup](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup)\n\n*   Sports[Sports](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport)\n\n*   Culture[Culture](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment)\n\n*   Lifestyle[Lifestyle](https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style)\n\n*   Money[Money](https://www.independent.co.uk/us/money)\n\n*   Travel[Travel](https://www.independent.co.uk/us/travel)\n\n*   Premium[Premium](https://www.independent.co.uk/independentpremium)\n\nMore\n\nMore\n\n### Thank you for registering\n\nPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in Please refresh your browser to be logged in\n\nTHE INDEPENDENT VIEW\n\n# Cancer drug fiasco shows why Burnham must focus on Britain in Europe\n\n## [Editorial](https://www.independent.co.uk/author/editorial): An intolerable situation that should be a high priority for the UK-EU reset talks when Burnham becomes PM\n\nSunday 12 July 2026 20:15 BST\n\n*   Copy link  \n*   Bookmark  \n*   [Comments](https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/editorials/brexit-cancer-drugs-medicines-europe-andy-burnham-b3013473.html#comments-area)Go to comments  \n\n## Bookmark popover\n\nRemoved from bookmarks\n\nClose popover\n\nAndy Burnham is expected to replace Sir Keir Starmer as prime minister (Nigel French/PA)(PA Wire)\n\n### Your support helps us to tell the story\n\nFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.\n\nAt such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.\n\nThe Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.\n\n**Your support makes all the difference.**\n\nM uch of the very real damage inflicted on [Britain](https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/britain) by the decision to leave the [European Union](https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/european-union) in 2016 is couched in cold, abstract terms: loss of GDP, the opportunity cost of investments forgone, billions of pounds in lost [tax revenues](https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/tax-revenues). Seldom are the personal, human consequences so graphically illustrated as they are in [_The Independent_](https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/the-independent) today as we report how British children with a rare and aggressive [brain cancer](https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/brain-cancer) have been denied a potentially life-extending drug trial.\n\nWith the illness virtually impossible to treat let alone cure by present methods, every step should be taken to develop new ones. But the second phase of a clinical trial has been delayed because of [Brexit](https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/brexit), since the UK now lies outside the EU’s regulatory framework. There are other trials in this field, but as the scientists involved argue, any barrier to vital research in this area is “frustrating”. Indeed, Cancer Research points out that Brexit has slowed the launch of clinical trials and increased the costs for multiple drugs to treat cancers. In the case of approved drugs, Brexit has disrupted supply chains and caused unnecessary shortages of prescription medicines, including for epilepsy and cystic fibrosis.\n\nIt is an intolerable situation, and remedying it should be a high priority for the UK-EU “reset” negotiations when [Andy Burnham](https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/andy-burnham) takes over as prime minister. Like Sir Keir Starmer, Mr Burnham is committed to rebuilding crucial links with European partners, and this is one area in which there will be a very welcome continuation of that policy. Better still would be more ambition and pace in the direction of travel, albeit for the moment constrained by Labour’s 2024 manifesto red lines on the EU single market and customs union. Nonetheless, there is much that can be done in this parliament to boost trade, investment and scientific research.\n\nA fine example of this, and one that should be applied to drug research, is how the UK has quietly rejoined the EU’s £80bn Horizon science research programme. This was actually achieved when Rishi Sunak was prime minister, and he abandoned the performative hostility to the EU that had characterised the Johnson and Truss premierships. More than two years in, Britain’s universities and institutions have recovered a leading role. The Horizon programme will commence its next five-year programme next year with Britain firmly at the forefront of its activities, pooling sovereignty to mutual advantage.\n\nFor the new prime minister, constrained as he is by so many formidable fiscal and political obstacles, Europe represents a rich agenda for incremental but significant change in the national interest. For farmers, consumers, manufacturers, performers, students, professionals and scientific researchers alike, taking down the barriers to freedom of movement of people and goods achieves at least three things. First, it brings some immediate tangible benefits, not least in the context of cancer research. Second, it boosts economic growth for the longer term, helping raise living standards and public services. Third, it helps win the argument for “more Europe”, not less, and how the EU, far from being to blame for Britain’s malaise, helps to alleviate it.\n\nUndo\n\nUndo\n\n[](https://www.energybillcruncher.com/pa)[New Program Will Install Solar At No Cost If You Live In South Carolina Energy Bill Cruncher | [Sponsored](https://popup.taboola.com/en/?template=colorbox&utm_source=eslmedia-theindependent&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=alternating-thumbnails-stream-1x4:Mid%20Article%20Thumbnails%20II:)[Sponsored](https://popup.taboola.com/en/?template=colorbox&utm_source=eslmedia-theindependent&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=alternating-thumbnails-stream-1x4:Mid%20Article%20Thumbnails%20II:)](https://www.energybillcruncher.com/pa \"New Program Will Install Solar At No Cost If You Live In South Carolina\")\n\nUndo\n\n[](https://www.energybillcruncher.com/pa)[South Carolina: New Program Will Install Solar At No Cost If You Live In These Zip Codes Energy Bill Cruncher | [Sponsored](https://popup.taboola.com/en/?template=colorbox&utm_source=eslmedia-theindependent&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=alternating-thumbnails-stream-1x4:Mid%20Article%20Thumbnails%20II:)[Sponsored](https://popup.taboola.com/en/?template=colorbox&utm_source=eslmedia-theindependent&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=alternating-thumbnails-stream-1x4:Mid%20Article%20Thumbnails%20II:)](https://www.energybillcruncher.com/pa \"South Carolina: New Program Will Install Solar At No Cost If You Live In These Zip Codes\")","source_name":"The Independent","source_url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/editorials/brexit-cancer-drugs-medicines-europe-andy-burnham-b3013473.html","url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/editorials/brexit-cancer-drugs-medicines-europe-andy-burnham-b3013473.html","author":"Editorial","author_name":"Editorial","published_at":"2026-07-12T19:15:19.000Z","publication_date":"2026-07-12T19:15:19.000Z","image_url":"https://static.independent.co.uk/2026/07/11/00/45ee87b1417424366b77f16c1b894256Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzgzNjkzNDM3-2.85184719.jpg","category":"world","topic":"world","tags":[],"political_bias":null,"bias_score":null,"confidence_score":null,"credibility_score":null,"factual_quality":null,"reading_time":5,"word_count":898,"view_count":0,"breaking":false,"breaking_news":false,"ai_analysis":null,"fact_check_status":"unverified","archive_status":"hot"}}