§ Rev. Martin SmythTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many rheumatoid arthritis patients in Northern Ireland are on consultants' waiting lists to assess their condition for the prescription of anti-TNF drugs; and how much funding is available for the prescription of anti-TNF drugs in Northern Ireland. [86949]
§ Mr. BrowneThere is no waiting list for rheumatoid arthritis patients awaiting assessment for anti-TNF drugs. However, as of December 2002, there are approximately 260 patients who have already been assessed as likely to benefit from anti-TNF therapy, but have not yet begun this form of treatment.
Currently, some £1.14 million is employed by health and social services boards and trusts specifically for anti-TNF drugs. An extra £3 million was recently made available to boards and has been made recurrent, in recognition of the exceptional cost of new, effective but highly expensive drug therapies including anti-TNF drugs. Following the Secretary of State's budget announcement on 11 December 2002, further funding will be made available when requirements have been agreed with service providers.
§ Rev. Martin SmythTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessments are being carried out to ascertain the effectiveness of anti-TNF drugs; and what the timetable is for anti-TNF drugs to be made more widely available. [86950]
§ Mr. BrowneAll patients on drug treatments are regularly monitored and treatment regimens are reviewed to assess effectiveness and possible side effects. Further funding for acute services was announced in the Secretary of State's Budget statement on 11 December 2002. Some of this will be made available for patients who could benefit from anti-TNF and other specialist drugs treatments and also for the infrastructure required to support these treatments. I expect anti-TNF drugs therefore to become more widely available next year.