Written Question · S3W-40248 · Session 3
What its assessment is of NHS board decisions on the funding of orphan and ultra-orphan medicines not recommended by the Scottish Medicines…
The question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its assessment is of NHS board decisions on the funding of orphan and ultra-orphan medicines not recommended by the Scottish Medicines Consortium.
The answer
The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) operates independently from the Scottish Government and NHS boards are expected to follow SMC advice.
Decisions regarding the provision of NHS services are a matter for NHS boards. Where a medicine has not been recommended for use within the NHS in Scotland by the SMC, NHS boards are not expected to make it routinely available.
However, NHS boards have arrangements for clinically-led consideration of SMC not recommended medicines, including orphan medicines, for individual patients. Clinicians are responsible for clinical decisions regarding the care of individual patients.
Recent figures provided by NHS boards following freedom of information requests indicate that overall, the majority of individual patient treatment requests are approved.
Decisions regarding the provision of NHS services are a matter for NHS boards. Where a medicine has not been recommended for use within the NHS in Scotland by the SMC, NHS boards are not expected to make it routinely available.
However, NHS boards have arrangements for clinically-led consideration of SMC not recommended medicines, including orphan medicines, for individual patients. Clinicians are responsible for clinical decisions regarding the care of individual patients.
Recent figures provided by NHS boards following freedom of information requests indicate that overall, the majority of individual patient treatment requests are approved.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S3W-40248 by reference.