§ Mr. BradyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the likely annual additional cost of prescribing beta interferon to the same percentage of MS patients as the EU average. [7215]
§ Ms BlearsWe do not hold sufficiently robust information on the public funding of beta interferon treatment in other European Union countries to make such an estimate.
§ Mr. BradyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will make his decision on the provision of beta interferon to MS patients. [7245]
§ Ms BlearsThe National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) Appraisal Committee further considered the evidence on the use of beta interferon and glatiramer acetate for Multiple Sclerosis sufferers on 25 September 2001. NICE has subsequently issued a provisional appraisal determination (PAD) to interested parties for comment.
The institute has stated that, to allow sufficient time to take proper account of the extensive comments received on the PAD, it now intends to issue the final appraisal determination to consultees towards the end of October this year.