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| Sight-drug battle in High Court | Sight-drug battle in High Court |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Three patients are taking their NHS trust to the High Court to try to force it to pay for a "sight-saving" drug. | Three patients are taking their NHS trust to the High Court to try to force it to pay for a "sight-saving" drug. |
| The judicial review follows a decision by Warwickshire Primary Care Trust not to fund the drug for people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Success for the trio could mean more patients in England being able to have the drug, Lucentis, said the RNIB. | |
| The PCT said that it had to make "difficult decisions" about which expensive drugs to make available. | The PCT said that it had to make "difficult decisions" about which expensive drugs to make available. |
| Lucentis treats "wet" AMD, the most common cause of blindness in the UK. | Lucentis treats "wet" AMD, the most common cause of blindness in the UK. |
| Treatment costs a maximum of £21,000 over a two-year period, although for many patients, fewer injections will be required. | Treatment costs a maximum of £21,000 over a two-year period, although for many patients, fewer injections will be required. |
| Raymond Liggins talks about going blind | |
| The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) in England issued draft guidance in April recommending it for use by the NHS, but the RNIB said that many PCTs were not following that advice. | The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) in England issued draft guidance in April recommending it for use by the NHS, but the RNIB said that many PCTs were not following that advice. |
| PCTS are obliged legally to follow final guidance issued by NICE, but not draft guidance. | PCTS are obliged legally to follow final guidance issued by NICE, but not draft guidance. |
| The drug has already been available on the NHS in Scotland for more than a year, while in Wales and Northern Ireland extra funding has been promised to pay for all suitable patients to receive the drug. Steve Winyard, from RNIB, described the difference as a "national scandal". | |
| "By making it impossible for anyone to qualify for funding, the PCT is heartlessly letting patients in its care go blind, rather than pay for the treatment that could save their sight." | "By making it impossible for anyone to qualify for funding, the PCT is heartlessly letting patients in its care go blind, rather than pay for the treatment that could save their sight." |
| The RNIB said that while half the PCTs in England were funding the drug as recommended, the rest were using "unacceptably restrictive" policies to decide who did and did not receive it. | The RNIB said that while half the PCTs in England were funding the drug as recommended, the rest were using "unacceptably restrictive" policies to decide who did and did not receive it. |
| 'Move to Scotland' | 'Move to Scotland' |
| One of the claimants, 76-year-old Raymond Liggins, said that losing his sight would mean he could not care for his wife Olive, who has suffered a stroke. | One of the claimants, 76-year-old Raymond Liggins, said that losing his sight would mean he could not care for his wife Olive, who has suffered a stroke. |
| He said: "Olive depends on me, so how can I care for her if I go blind? If I lived with my son in Scotland I'd get my treatment free on the NHS." | He said: "Olive depends on me, so how can I care for her if I go blind? If I lived with my son in Scotland I'd get my treatment free on the NHS." |
| The doctors have said I will lose my sight, and it is devastating - I'm a very active person Jean Middleton | |
| Another, 78-year-old Jean Middleton, who is already almost completely sightless in one eye, described her situation as "desperate". | Another, 78-year-old Jean Middleton, who is already almost completely sightless in one eye, described her situation as "desperate". |
| "There's not much time left to save my sight and I know there are many people in Warwickshire facing the same fate." | "There's not much time left to save my sight and I know there are many people in Warwickshire facing the same fate." |
| She added: "They told me that I was in no worse a condition than anyone else, and that's why I couldn't have the drug. | She added: "They told me that I was in no worse a condition than anyone else, and that's why I couldn't have the drug. |
| "But the doctors have said I will lose my sight, and it is devastating - I'm a very active person." | "But the doctors have said I will lose my sight, and it is devastating - I'm a very active person." |
| A spokesman for Warwickshire PCT said it would be "inappropriate" to comment in advance of the court hearing. | A spokesman for Warwickshire PCT said it would be "inappropriate" to comment in advance of the court hearing. |
| However, he added: "We would like to say that the PCT, as the organisation which buys and provides services for the local population, in accordance with local needs, has to make very difficult decisions around the funding of high-cost drugs." | However, he added: "We would like to say that the PCT, as the organisation which buys and provides services for the local population, in accordance with local needs, has to make very difficult decisions around the funding of high-cost drugs." |