UK's MS drug 'risk-sharing' scheme 'a costly failure' for the NHS

The multiple sclerosis drug risk sharing scheme that has been used in the UK is "a costly failure" and should not be continued, according to researchers writing on bmj.com last week. They argue that the biggest losers are the other National Health Service patients who would otherwise have benefited from the money spent on the scheme, estimated to be around £50 million ($72.3 million) per year since it was set up in 2002.

They also point out that, if an assessment had been completed after the first two years, the NHS could have already saved around £250 million.

The risk sharing scheme was set up by the Department of Health to make sure disease-modifying drugs were available on the NHS after the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) ruled that they were not cost effective.