THE family of a Johnstone teenager with 'days left to live' has made a desperate plea to access a life-saving pill.

Ayden Cochrane, 13, is dying of cystic fibrosis and unable to access a drug called Trikafta, which is unavailable on the NHS.

The medicine is not yet licensed in Europe but since July, Vertex has given it free to 120 UK sick sufferers under their “compassionate-use” scheme.

Now, his family has made an urgent appeal to drug chiefs to not let stricken Ayden die.

Mother-of-five Tracey, 33, said: “Please don’t let my son die.

“I cannot understand how Vertex can see Ayden like this and not give him their medicine.

“Watching your child go through this – while watching other CF sufferers on Trikafta around the world have amazing results – is heartbreaking.

“But Ayden is so strong he is determined to try to get better, and I won’t give up fighting until he does.

“He won’t have long to live, just a few days, if he doesn’t get help very soon. His situation is that serious.

“He will be 14 soon but the other night he told me he was really scared. It’s so upsetting.”

Mrs Cochrane, who is understood to be at her son’s bedside, added to the Daily Express: “It is agony for any parent to see your child in this state. Just months ago he was up entertaining the crowd at our wedding."

Mrs Cochrane, husband Paul, 33, and their other four children Cody, 15, Dylan, 10, Lucie, four, and Rueben, two, are hoping for a miracle.

Vertex stressed their medical team are in “close contact” with Ayden’s consultants at Glasgow’s Royal Hospital For Children.

A spokesperson added: “Making decisions about requests for compassionate use of an unlicensed medicine is always complex.

“We endeavour to make these decisions as ethically and fairly as possible.”

Ayden's friends and loved ones have taken to social media using the hashtag #SAVEAYDEN pleaing with Vertex to give him the much-needed drug.

The group have been tweeting pictures of themselves holding heartbreaking signs, similar to the one Ayden held in his hospital bed and urged others to spread the word.

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