§ 11. Mr. John Bercow (Buckingham)What recent representations he has received in respect of the provision of beta interferon in the NHS. [81819]
§ The Minister of State, Department of Health (Mr. John Denham)Our records show that we have received 114 written representations from Members of Parliament, patients' groups and the public about the prescribing and funding of beta interferon since 1 January this year.
§ Mr. BercowI am grateful to the Minister for that reply. Given that Miss Caroline Cripps and Mr. Marc Smith—two brave young constituents of mine who suffer from the relapsing-remitting form of multiple sclerosis—were recommended for treatment by beta interferon by their respective consultant neurologists in June and 697 November 1998, but that they have so far endured the misery of being denied funding by Buckinghamshire health authority, can the Minister today give the House a guarantee that new guidance will be issued by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence as soon as possible, and no later than the start of the summer recess, to the effect that, where beta interferon is clinically appropriate, it should ordinarily be prescribed?
§ Mr. DenhamI am aware that Buckinghamshire health authority has given the go-ahead for more patients to be treated with the drug, but the issue the hon. Gentleman raises is nevertheless an important one. There is wide variation in prescribing practice, although that, as often as not, reflects clinicians' differing views on the clinical benefits and cost-effectiveness of the drug. We have said that we are likely to ask NICE to prepare guidance on the use of beta interferon for both the relapsing-remitting and secondary progressive forms of the disease; but given that NICE came into existence only on 1 April, I do not believe that I can give the hon. Gentleman an assurance that it will be possible for it to report before the summer recess.
§ Mr. Kevin Barron (Rother Valley)Will we have some national service framework for beta interferon so that we may get rid of the rationing mess that we inherited from the previous Government and direct regional health authorities to spend money in this area of intervention?
§ Mr. DenhamWe have not said that there will be a national service framework in relation to multiple sclerosis, but we want the National Institute for Clinical Excellence to provide authoritative guidance on the clinical benefits and cost-effectiveness of different treatments and pharmaceuticals. The issuing of such guidance will ensure greater consistency in practice from one part of the country to another. We inherited quite unacceptable variations in practice, and we are determined to tackle that problem.
§ Mr. Philip Hammond (Runnymede and Weybridge)The Minister will know that the Minister for Public Health has said in the House that there is no rationing in the national health service. However, the chairman of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence has stated that that institute may have to recommend against availability on the national health service of clinically effective drugs such as beta interferon because of limited resources. Would Health Ministers accept such a recommendation from NICE? If that is not rationing, what is?
§ Mr. DenhamI do not know why the hon. Gentleman refers persistently to the comments of my right hon. Friend the Minister for Public Health, because I have said precisely the same thing on several occasions. Priority setting has been a part of every health system in the world, and I believe that the national health service is fairer and more equitable than all of those systems. The hon. Gentleman should be aware that we know what he and his right hon. and hon. Friends are up to: they are seeking to use this issue to undermine public confidence in the national health service in order to promote their own agenda of private health care.