§ Bob SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) who will make the initial decision on which MS patients are included in the new cohort to receive beta interferon and glatiramer acetate drugs; [35346]
956W(2) if he will estimate how many new people in (a) England and (b) Essex will receive beta interferon and glatiramer acetate drugs in the next five years; [35350]
(3) what system for appeals will be established to review cases where MS sufferers have been refused access to beta interferon and glatiramer acetate; who will constitute the appeal body; and what its terms of reference, operating procedures and decision criteria will be; [35348]
(4) what limits will be put on the access of clinically qualifying patients to beta interferon and glatiramer acetate drugs; [35344]
(5) when the new cohort of MS sufferers who will now receive beta interferon and glatiramer acetate drugs will start to receive these drugs; [35347]
(6) what restriction based on post code there will be to access the beta interferon and glatiramer acetate drugs for clinically qualifying patients; [35343]
(7) how the new cohort of MS patients to receive beta interferon and glatiramer acetate drugs will be selected; [35349]
(8) whether patients who are diagnosed as having MS and who qualify under the clinical criteria for the cohort to receive beta interferon and glatiramer acetate drugs will be given access to those drugs. [35345]
§ Ms BlearsThe scheme allows disease-modifying drugs for multiple sclerosis to be prescribed on the national health service to patients who meet the criteria set out by the Association of British Neurologists (ABN). Subject to assessment by a specialist neurologist to confirm that they meet these criteria, all eligible patients will be given access to beta interferon and glatiramer acetate. It has been estimated that the total number of patients in England and Wales who fall within the ABN criteria might range between 7,500 to 9,000. We have no figures for potential patient numbers in Essex.
NHS bodies are required to fund any treatment within the scheme prescribed by clinicians for eligible patients, in accordance with a statutory direction.
The responsibility for making an effective clinical judgment rests with the specialist neurologist concerned. If there is any doubt about an individual case, it is likely that another specialist neurologist will be requested to give a second opinion.
The scheme starts to operate on 6 May 2002. It is anticipated that it might take 18 months to initiate all eligible patients on the scheme. Details of the scheme are explained in Health Service Circular 2002/004 which has been widely distributed across the NHS.