MP urges PM to make vital treatment available
An MP has used the plight of a young constituent with a devastating muscular disease to highlight the need for a vital drug to be made available in England.
Eleanor Smith told the House of Commons that 10-year-old Heidi Prescott was "losing the ability to walk and spends most of her time in a wheelchair" due to her illness, spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).
She said the youngster's condition was worsening, and called for the treatment Spinraza to be made available to patients in England.
Speaking in Prime Minister's Questions, the Wolverhampton South West Labour MP, said: "There is a treatment that could help Heidi to slow down the deterioration and prolong her life. It is called Spinraza.
"It is not available in England, but will be in Scotland from April. Can I ask the Prime Minister, why can't this treatment be accessible to my constituent, Heidi, and other children in England with this disease?"
In response Theresa May said: "I'm sorry to hear that Heidi is in these circumstances. We do have a robust, independent process through the NICE reviews to look at new medicines that are possible.
"This is the case with Spinraza. I'm pleased that Biogen [the company that makes the treatment] has submitted a revised submission for the NICE appraisal committee to consider and that a meeting has been arranged for March 6 under which those recommendations will be considered."
SMA is a rare muscular wasting spinal disease that makes the muscles weaker and causes severe problems with movement.
Last year the Scottish Medicines Consortium announced its approval of Spinraza for use by children in Scotland with symptomatic SMA Type 1.
