HC Deb 13 February 2002 vol 380 c469W
Mrs. Lawrence

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when sufficient supplies of rcFVIII will be available to match demand from United Kingdom-resident patients requiring this treatment. [22327]

Yvette Cooper

In England and Northern Ireland, the policy is to provide recombinant clotting factors for new haemophilia patients and children under 16. Scotland and Wales are committed to providing recombinant products for all haemophilia patients. We are actively considering extending the provision of recombinant clotting factors to all haemophilia patients in England when supplies allow.

Because of the current world shortage of recombinant clotting factors, some patients across the United Kingdom have been switched from recombinant to plasma derived clotting factors as a temporary measure but this situation is improving. The Department is working with the United Kingdom Haemophilia Centre Doctors Organisation and with industry to manage available supplies.

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