§ Phil SawfordTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients receiving a disease modifying treatment for multiple sclerosis are included within the formal monitoring arrangements of the risk-sharing scheme; and what assessment he has made of whether the estimate of 7,000 patients by November will be reached. [135766]
§ Dr. LadymanUp to the end of August, around 6,300 patients were receiving treatment with a disease modifying treatment for their multiple sclerosis. Around 300 patients each month are being initiated on treatment. Sheffield University's School of Health and Related Research is collecting scheme data and we are discussing with them how best to publicise a breakdown of patients currently being treated to show the subsets being treated under the scheme and those subject to detailed monitoring. As yet, we have no precise estimate of the likely date on which full recruitment of the cohort of patients subject to detailed monitoring will be achieved.