UK govt seeks MS drug supply deal with industry, as NICE issues negative FAD

As a Final Appraisal Determination from the National Institute ofClinical Excellence concluded, as expected, that beta interferon - Biogen's Avonex, Serono's Rebif and Schering Health Care's Betaferon, and glatiramer acetate (Teva's Copaxone) should not be recommended for National Health Service treatment of multiple sclerosis in England and Wales, the Department of Health said it was in talks with the producers aimed at getting the drugs to patients under a long-term study proposal.

The DoH said the talks covered a range of provision options, including a possible risk-sharing scheme under which the drugs would be funded for relapsing-remitting MS patients, who number about 10,000 in England and Wales. After a period of time, an assessment would be made and, if the drug was working, payment would continue, but if not, payments to manufacturers would be reduced on a sliding scale. The DoH said it believed a constructive arrangement with the firms was possible.

The NICE's FAD repeats the suggestion made in its Provisional Appraisal Determination on the MS drugs (Marketletter August 13) that the DoH and the National Assembly for Wales should "consider a strategy with a view to acquiring any or all of the medicines appraised for this guidance in a manner which could be considered to be cost-effective." The Institute said it was pleased to see from media reports that the DoH and the companies have begun these discussions, although it stresses that it has not been involved in any of these talks.