RE your health page article headed gThe drug that made all the differenceh (Echo, Sept 7).

I was pleased to read that the gentleman involved, Jimmy Jenkyns, had responded so well to the treatment with the new cancer drug, Tarceva, but absolutely disgusted that he has to pay for it himself when it is freely prescribed in Scotland.

Why is a Scottish life worth more than an English life? Is it because our unelected Prime Minister is Scottish or because the Scots have their own parliament and our money is shipped to Scotland to preserve the Union?

Either way, this apartheid must end. It can be done the hard way or the easy way. The choice is yours, Gordon Brown. We English will not tolerate such blatant discrimination much longer.

Michael Oliver, Whitby, North Yorkshire.

ONCE again we hear of a drug being denied the English victims of cancer, while it is given to Scottish sufferers. This time it is Tarceva, and make no mistake, Prime Minister Gordon Brown has it in his power to reverse the situation, but once again he has chosen not to.

This, from a Prime Minister whom no one in England voted for, will make sure the sufferers in his constituency in Scotland get Tarceva.

How long will the people of England stand for this apartheid?

And where are all the so-called English MPs who are standing by and letting this happen?

Eleanor Justice, Gateshead.

Editorfs footnote: HAS received a number of letters from other parts of the country making similar points on this subject.