BRIEF—England lagging Scotland and Wales on MS drug reimbursement

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has opted not to recommend Biogen’s Fampyra (fampridine) in England as part of updated guidelines for the diagnosis and management of multiple sclerosis (MS).

Fampyra is a symptom management treatment which aims to improve walking in adults with MS. It has been recommended for use on the National Health Service in Wales and Scotland, meaning that England lags behind its neighbors in free access to the drug.

Phillip Anderson, head of policy at the MS Society, said: “NICE’s decision not to recommend fampridine will come as a crushing blow to many in the MS community. Living with MS can be relentless, painful and disabling, but evidence shows us that fampridine can be life-changing for some people.”