§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what recent discussions he has had with those pharmaceutical companies that have developed beta interferon and other disease-modifying drugs for MS, concerning the terms on which these drugs may be made available on the NHS in the future; [18079]
(2) what recent discussions he has had with pharmaceutical companies that manufacture disease-modifying drugs for MS on their willingness to supply those drugs to the NHS at a price which reflects their efficacy, and if he will make a statement. [24980]
§ Ms BlearsI apologise to my hon. Friend for the delay in responding to this question. I refer him to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002,Official Report, column 192W.
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew) on 8 February 2002, Official Report, column 1241W.