Two of Britain’s leading cancer specialists have come forward with a stark warning: These ideological climate requirements could kill patients. Professor Angus Dalgleish, Professor of Oncology at St George’s, University of London, told GB News the health service is “entirely beholden to Net Zero ideology.” He added, “There are plenty of other places suppliers can go and there is a worldwide shortage of many drugs. It is madness. Shouldn’t they look at how best to deal with patients – that should be the priority it is soul destroying. I wouldn’t be so sure this isn’t a deadly threat.”
Key points:
- New NHS procurement rules force drug suppliers to report global emissions and commit to net zero by 2050 or lose contracts.
- Leading oncologists warn the policy could shrink the pool of suppliers and drive up costs for vital medicines.
- Britain already faces widespread drug shortages, with 700 supply issue notifications in the first half of 2024 alone.
- The Department of Health denies patient risk but experts say cancer patients could miss critical doses of multi-drug treatments.
- Industry groups warn the rules could create unintended barriers to patient access and supply chain resilience.
Net zero ideology versus patient survival
The Department of Health insists “it is categorically untrue that patients will be put at risk by the transition to net zero.” But the reality on the ground tells a different story. Britain is already grappling with severe medicine supply problems. Official figures show pharmaceutical companies issued approximately 700 medicine supply issue notifications in just the first six months of this year. Professor Dalgleish noted that shortages already affect antibiotics, blood-pressure treatments, and other essential drugs, calling the situation a “worldwide shortage of many drugs.”
Under the new regulations, major suppliers must publicly report emissions from their worldwide operations, commit to reaching net zero by 2050, and detail their plans to cut emissions. Companies that fail to meet these minimum requirements will not advance to the next stage of the NHS buying process. The toughest rules apply to companies seeking NHS deals worth £5 million or more annually. These requirements extend to suppliers joining new NHS buying schemes used to purchase medicines, equipment, and other supplies.
Professor Karol Sikora, former chief of the World Health Organisation’s cancer programme and one of Britain’s most respected oncologists, called the situation “a crazy situation.” He told GB News, “Even relatively cheap generic drugs are in short supply and this is already an issue – pharmacists have a nightmare putting drugs together. There are enough drugs out there but it is to do with procurement. And this could threaten drug supplies, including vital drugs like cancer.”
Cancer patients face life-or-death consequences
The warning from Sikora is especially chilling for cancer patients. Most cancer treatments require three or four different drugs administered simultaneously, and missing even one dose can reduce a patient’s chance of a successful outcome. “Most cancer treatments need three or four drugs in one go, for example and missing out one dose will reduce a patient’s chance of getting a good response,” Sikora explained. The NHS already struggles with procurement bureaucracy. Adding another layer of climate compliance could force the health service to choose from a smaller pool of willing suppliers, driving up costs and reducing availability of critical medications.
Companies supplying the NHS already face carbon reporting rules. But from April 1, 2027, the requirements for major suppliers go much further, covering emissions from their worldwide operations and many more sources across their global supply chains. Professor Sikora warned that these new demands could push suppliers away entirely. “Procurement for the NHS is already incredibly bureaucratic. If you prescribe cheap drugs in hospital it already often costs far more than the cost value for them because of this. And these rules on top mean you are competing with a smaller supply pool as many will not want to get involved – this means there will be less better deals. It also means this will cost a lot more money however you do it and suppliers will have to bear this cost which means they may not bother, which will put drug supplies at risk.”
Medical industry groups have also raised serious concerns. British American Business, representing more than 2,000 companies across Britain and North America, warned that extending the requirements to non-UK operations could place an “undue and disproportionate burden” on companies with extensive global supply chains. Companies that fail to make the required global emissions commitment could be excluded from competing for NHS contracts, though some exemptions will apply. The group called for the NHS to avoid rules that could damage patient access, choice, or the resilience of medical supplies.
The British In Vitro Diagnostics Association, representing more than 250 companies making and supplying diagnostic tests, warned that without changes there could be concerns about “product availability in the future.” The organization stressed that the diagnostics industry supports the NHS’s net zero ambitions but insisted the rules must be practical and proportionate while protecting patients’ access to medical products.
The Department of Health maintains that critical medicines will be protected where supplies are limited. A spokesman said the NHS has clearly recognized that “where there are limited options for critical goods, equipment and services, patient care will come before any procurement requirements.” But the doctors on the front lines of this crisis are not convinced. Professor Dalgleish summed up the frustration: “There are plenty of other places suppliers can go and there is a worldwide shortage of many drugs. It is madness.” As the NHS barrels toward this April 1 deadline, patients may pay the ultimate price for a climate ideology that prioritizes emissions hysteria over people's actual lives.
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