Written Question · S2W-08028 · Session 2
How many patients have waited to be assessed to determine if they would benefit from beta interferon or glatiramer acetate for the treatmen…
The question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients have waited to be assessed to determine if they would benefit from beta interferon or glatiramer acetate for the treatment of multiple sclerosis in each year since 1998, broken down by NHS board.
The answer
This information is not heldcentrally. The question of whether an individual patient might benefit from treatmentwith beta interferon or glatiramer acetate is a matter for the clinical judgementof the specialist concerned, informed by advice and evidence about its use. Clinicaldecisions regarding the treatment of individual patients’ are not available centrally.
The UK-wide risk-sharing schemefor beta interferon and glatiramer acetate allows these treatments to be prescribedon the NHS to patients who meet criteria developed by the Association of BritishNeurologists (ABN). The guidance which explained the scheme, Health Department Letter(2002)6, which is available from the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number20653), estimated that the total number of patients in Scotland whofall within the ABN guidelines might be in the range 1,300 to 1,560.
The UK-wide risk-sharing schemefor beta interferon and glatiramer acetate allows these treatments to be prescribedon the NHS to patients who meet criteria developed by the Association of BritishNeurologists (ABN). The guidance which explained the scheme, Health Department Letter(2002)6, which is available from the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number20653), estimated that the total number of patients in Scotland whofall within the ABN guidelines might be in the range 1,300 to 1,560.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S2W-08028 by reference.