Written - Disease Modifying Therapies for Multiple Sclerosis

I provided a Cabinet Written Statement on the issue of prescribing Disease Modifying Therapies (DMTs) to patients with relapsing-remitting and secondary progressive Multiple Sclerosis (MS) on 19th May 2006. At that time my officials and I were considering options to help resolve the difficulties in providing DMTs to newly diagnosed MS patients .

I have now provided additional funding of £700,000 to the existing annual allocation of £2.5million to DMTs. This will help to ensure that patients with MS who meet the eligibility criteria established by the Association of British Neurologists (ABN) can commence treatment with DMTs at the earliest convenience.

These monies have been transferred to Health Commission Wales which has the responsibility of commissioning DMTs for people with MS. The resources are in addition to the substantial investment in the infrastructure for the MS Risk Sharing Scheme made in Wales since 2002. This includes an investment of £2.5 million in DMTs during the 2005/06 financial year.

I have also asked my officials to progress with plans to review current practice in Wales, review the latest evidence and research findings and address the epidemiology of MS in Wales help support future commissioning decisions for the treatment and management of MS in Wales. We will also be reviewing the outcomes of the interim report of the national MS Risk Sharing Scheme, due next year, to further inform the way forward for the future management of services for people with MS in Wales.