Access to new medicine sessions to focus on cancer and rare illnesses

14.11.2012

The inquiry on access to new medicines, being undertaken by the Health and Sport Committee, will take further evidence from clinicians and patient representatives.

Convener of the Health and Sport Committee, Duncan McNeil MSP said:

“How patients access new medicine and the process of approval is understandably a complex and emotive issue. Following an introductory session to establish the issues around access to new medicines, it was clear that there were a number of differing views on the process of approval, and particularly around individual patient treatment requests.

“The Committee is surprised that the Scottish Government has chosen to announce a separate inquiry, given that the Committee’s work on these issues is on-going. Nevertheless, the Committee welcomes the announcement of the review, which will give an opportunity for these issues to be looked at again in depth and by experts. I am sure the review will welcome the Committee’s conclusions once we have completed our planned evidence taking at the end of January.”

Background

The Committee agreed to examine general issues regarding the approval process for newly licensed medicines and the system of Individual Patient Treatment Requests (IPTRs).

On 6 November the Committee agreed to hold two further evidence sessions on access to new medicines. The first of these will be on Tuesday 4 December and will focus on access to cancer drug treatments. It will take the form of two roundtables, one made up of oncology clinicians and representatives of the four regional cancer network groups and the second made up of charitable organisations representing cancer patients.

A further session will be held early in 2013. This will take a similar form to the meeting on 4 December, but will focus on other conditions

It has received 29 written submissions and taken evidence a number of organisations including the Scottish Medicines Consortium, Association of British Pharmaceutical Industry and NHS Boards.