§ Dr. GibsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the annual cost was in 2001–02 to the NHS to social services of supporting people who suffer vision loss as a result of wet age-related macular degeneration; what assessment he has made of the impact of patients of the delay in NICE issuing guidance on the use of photodynamic therapy for age-related macular degeneration; and if he will provide funding for a nationally co-ordinated data collection exercise on the use of photodynamic therapy for age related macular degeneration; [76241]
(2) how many patients have access through ongoing clinical trials to photodynamic therapy for age-related macular degeneration; and how many patients will have access to this therapy as part of future clinical trials being planned. [76242]
§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when the NICE Committee will report its recommendations for age-related macular disease. [77842]
§ Ms Blears[holding answer 28 October 2002]: The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) is currently conducting an appraisal of photodynamic therapy. This consultation has been extended to allow further consideration of the draft guidance. We cannot anticipate what NICE'S recommendations will be or assess what, if any, patients who are untreated at present will then be eligible for treatment. The Department will consider the implications of the final NICE guidance. We expect that guidance could be available to the National Health Service in January 2003, providing there are no appeals.
553WIn the meantime, guidance issued in August 1999 to all NHS bodies asked them to continue with local arrangements for the managed introduction of new technologies where guidance from NICE is not available at the time the technology first became available. These arrangements should involve an assessment of all the relevant factors including the available evidence on effect. The introduction of photodynamic therapy under these arrangements should be funded locally.
The Department does not collect data concerning the number of age-related macular degeneration patients currently receiving photodynamic therapy through clinical trials. We are also not in a position to estimate future access through clinical trials; the numbers involved would be a matter for the product manufacturer or others who are conducting the trial.
It is not possible to identify separately from the data collected from health and social services, the annual cost of supporting people who suffer vision loss as a result of the wet form of age-related macular degeneration.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what proportion of patients newly diagnosed with wet age related macular degeneration have access to photodynamic therapy for age-related macular degeneration through ongoing clinical trials; and what proportion of those patients will have access to this therapy as part of future clinical trials being planned; and if he will make a statement; [76336]
(2)if he will provide funding for the use of photodynamic therapy for age-related macular degeneration pending the completion of a nationally coordinated data collection exercise on clinical outcome, quality of life and costs associated with the treatment; and if he will make a statement. [76337]
§ Ms Blears[holding answer 29 October 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friends the Members for Norwich, North (Dr Gibson) and for Stroud (Mr. Drew) today.