SIR – Well the cat’s out of the bag at last. NICE are having a consultation about having a fair innings policy which means people in their 70s (which they consider is a fair innings) would be denied new life-saving drugs because of their age, not clinical need, which is tantamount to euthanasia by the back door.

At least I am enjoying some retirement. I feel sorry for the young who I’ve no doubt will be working for their pension till they are 70.

If they fall seriously ill in their 70s and if this consultation is accepted they will be denied life-saving drugs because they are old.

That NICE has been the main brake on the availability of cancer drugs over the last decade begs the question are we ordinary people giving to charities for research, only to find the fruits of that successful research, ie, new life-saving or enhancing drugs, are only available to people with fat wallets?

Alan Hough, Midland Road, Baildon