§ 20. Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to issue new guidance concerning the prescribing of beta interferon for(a) relapsing remitting and (b) secondary progressive MS. [92606]
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§ Mr. DenhamWe consulted earlier in the summer on a proposal to refer beta interferon to the National Institute for Clinical Excellence, for an authoritative appraisal of the available evidence, and an announcement will be made in the near future. We intend to issue a Health Service Circular giving management advice on beta interferon for the period until NICE guidance is available.
§ Miss KirkbrideTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the health authorities by region which(a) have and (b) have not agreed to clear their existing waiting list for MS patients waiting for beta interferon. [94195]
§ Mr. DenhamThe information requested is not available.
We consulted earlier in the summer on a proposal to refer beta interferon to the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE), for an authoritative appraisal of the available evidence, and an announcement will be made in the near future. We intend to issue a Health Service Circular giving management on beta interferon for the period until NICE guidance is available.