MP speaks out over drug consultation
Published on 12th July 2007 in News
Howden MP David Davis this week branded as 'disgraceful' an independent health organisation's decision not to recommend the use of the drug macugen on the NHS in England.
The drug, used for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), is used on the NHS in Scotland, but the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) recently issued draft guidance for public consultation and did not recommend the use of the drug macugen as a form of treatment.
"I was recently contacted by a gentleman in his 80s whose wife suffers from macular degeneration in her eyes," said Mr Davis. "The couple have been paying £1,000 every six weeks for the macugen drug to be administered privately.
"It is frankly disgraceful that people of this age are having to pay through the nose for a treatment that is available in Scotland on the NHS but not in England. Either the drug is effective or it is not; we cannot have a post code lottery determining access to treatment.
"People across the UK pay the same taxes and, as such, should be treated equally."
But Andrew Dillon, chief executive of NICE, said that instead of recommending the use of macugen, NICE recommends the drug lucentis, which should be used in the better-seeing eye when both eyes are affected by AMD. He said: "When treatments are very expensive, we have to use them where they give most benefit to patients. Most people with AMD only seek help once the disease is beginning to affect their second eye. Because of this, and based on the evidence they have seen, our independent advisory committee believes the right thing to do is to treat and try to save as much sight as possible in the better-seeing eye.
"We're very keen to hear from people with AMD and those who care for them and, as always, our committee will take these views into account when making their final recommendations."
The committee will meet to consider comments made in the consultation on August 9.
Subject to any appeals, the final guidance is expected in September.