§ Mr. CrausbyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to authorise the use of chelation therapy in the National Health Service. [99274]
§ Yvette CooperVarious forms of chelation therapy are licensed for use in this country for the treatment of a number of different diseases, eg Wilson's disease (a form of liver disease) and some forms of metal poisoning.
There are some proponents of the use of a particular intravenous form of this drug, called Ethylene diamine tetra acetic chelation therapy, for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. There is no objective evidence from large research trials that this therapy helps in general in the treatment of cardiovascular disease. At present chelating drugs licensed under the Medicines Act are licensed for various indications but none are licensed for use in treating heart and arterial disease, apart from in clinical trials. In the absence of good evidence of clinical effectiveness it would not be appropriate for the Department to recommend the use of chelation therapy for the treatment of coronary heart disease within the National Health Service.