MS Society will challenge drug decision

MULTIPLE sclerosis campaigners will step up their bid to persuade Scotland’s medicines regulator to overturn its decision to reject a new treatment for the disease.

The Multiple Sclerosis Society Scotland yesterday said it would be writing to the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) to try to convince the regulator it should approve the use of fingolimod.

Pressure mounted on the SMC after its equivalent body south of the Border, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), approved the drug in England and Wales.

The production of draft NICE guidance recommending the use of fingolimod has raised the prospect of a north/south divide opening up when it comes to treating the disease.

Yesterday Craig Wilkie, MSSS head of policy, said that the charity would also be lobbying MSPs on the issue.

A SMC spokesman said: “We are always happy to hear interest groups’ points of view and we would be happy to hear from the MSSS.”