Local MP Alan Mak has joined other MPs in urging the NHS and manufacturer Vertex pharmaceuticals to reach an agreement to allow access to cystic fibrosis drug Orkambi.
It comes after Alan joined cystic fibrosis sufferers and patient advocate charity, the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, for a parliamentary event that took place at the Houses of Parliament to maintain momentum in bringing the two sides towards an agreement.
The intervention by MPs and the cystic fibrosis community was to highlight that people with cystic fibrosis have been waiting for three years for access to Orkambi, a treatment manufactured by Vertex Pharmaceuticals. The medicines are the first to treat the root cause of cystic fibrosis and have been shown to slow health deterioration and reduce the need for frequent hospitalisation.
Parliamentarians, the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, people affected by the condition and their families together with clinicians urged both Vertex and the NHS to move forward to facilitate access to essential medicines as soon as possible.
Alan said: “My constituents whose lives are affected by cystic fibrosis – and others across the UK – require access to the latest drugs, including Orkambi. As a drug that has been shown to make a real difference, I urge the NHS and Vertex to get back to the negotiating table and to find a solution.”