The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (Nice) held the hearing after it received two appeals against its draft guidance not to extend access to the chemotherapy drug Alimta.

The drug, developed on Tyneside, has been found to give extra time to patients with advanced asbestos-related mesothelioma.

They include Bob McLaren, 67, of Low Simonside, Jarrow, who died from mesothelioma last year after fighting for the right to be prescribed Alimta to improve his quality of life.

His family raised thousands of pounds for the drug as a contingency plan while they were campaigning for health bosses to provide Alimta free of charge.

The campaign, backed by the Gazette and Jarrow MP Stephen Hepburn, eventually proved successful, with Alimta shrinking Mr McLaren's cancer and improving his health in the little time he had left.

A decision on the latest appeal is expected in about six weeks.

Ian McFall, head of the asbestos policy at Thompsons Solicitors in Newcastle, said: "The last thing people suffering from this terrible illness need is more uncertainty."