Gillian Keegan MP is supporting calls from the Cystic Fibrosis Trust to urge NICE, NHS England and the pharmaceutical company Vertex to reach a deal on the cost of life transforming cystic fibrosis drugs and make them available on the NHS without delay.
The House of Commons Health & Social Committee Inquiry is today hearing evidence from Vertex Pharmaceuticals, NICE and NHS England regarding the ongoing and protracted negotiations for the drugs Orkambi and Symkevi* to help move discussions forward and break the stalemate between the three parties.
Orkambi is the second precision medicine that targets the route cause of the disease and would benefit around half of people with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) in the UK.
It has been licensed for use for over three years, but a deal is yet to be struck to make the drug available for people with CF in England on the NHS. During that time, a third drug to treat the root cause of the condition, Symkevi, has been approved for use but is not available on the NHS.
