§ Lord Roberts of Conwyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the drug Enbrel used to treat rheumatoid arthritis is generally available through the National Health Service in England to patients who meet the criteria for its use. [HL1043]
§ Lord Hunt of Kings HeathWe have no detailed statistics on the prescribing of etanercept (brand name Enbrel).
Etanercept is currently being appraised by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE). Until NICE has completed its appraisal, National Health Service bodies have been advised to use their existing arrangements to determine local policies on the publicly available evidence.