Nus Ghani, MP for Wealden has assiduously campaigned for lifesaving Cystic Fibrosis drugs to be made available on the NHS. Last year Nus Ghani met a Horam resident, Christina Walker at an event hosted by the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. Christina’s son, Luis, has Cystic Fibrosis and has been leading a campaign to make Orkambi available on the NHS.
NHS England has now announced it has secured a definitive agreement with Vertex Pharmaceuticals to make available all three of their UK-licensed cystic fibrosis medicines.
This means NHS patients like Luis, will now have full access to Orkambi, Symkevi and Kalydeco, and around 5000 people may now take up these treatments. There is no cap on patient numbers, and each and every patient in England who might benefit can now get these treatments, free on the NHS. Clinicians will be able to begin prescribing these drugs within 30 days.
The UK has the second highest prevalence of cystic fibrosis of any country in the world, so this is an important and long hoped for moment for children and adults living with cystic fibrosis.
Following the announcement Christina Walker tweeted:
“Nus Ghani, thanks for your support over the last couple of years. I’m pleased to say that Luis and thousands others in England will have access to Orkambi very soon. There’s been a lot of letters involved, including from you on our behalf, so than you very much.”
Nus Ghani, MP for Wealden, said:
“This is wonderful news. I am so pleased that a deal to provide Orkambi and other lifesaving Cystic Fibrosis drugs on the NHS has finally been agreed.”
“Having campaigned with constituents of mine like Christina and her son Luis that are effected by Cystic Fibrosis, I am acutely aware of how import this announcement is and it will have a hugely positive impact on so many people’s lives.”
