§ Mr. SymsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to promote greater use of recombinant Factor 8 clotting products for haemophiliacs. [5124]
§ Mr. BoatengWe have no plans to recommend the greater use of recombinant Factor 8. The Department of Health has advised health authorities that they should weigh the claimed benefits of recombinant Factor 8 against the high costs, bearing in mind the good safety record of the plasma-derived product since the introduction of viral inactivation processes in 1985.
We have made clear our policy that treatment decisions should focus on high quality research evidence about clinical effectiveness, safety and long-term patient outcomes.