Multiple Sclerosis campaigners in Wandsworth have welcomed government proposals to extend clinical trials of the only drugs available to treat the disease.

The announcement has defied advice from medicines watchdog, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE), which in August announced it would block the NHS use of the drugs because of their high cost.

Of the 63,000 people who live with the disease in England and Wales, approximately 10,000 suffer from the relapsing-remitting form of the disease.

Although there is no cure for MS, two drugs, Beta Interferon and Copaxone, offer the only treatment by increasing the length of time between relapses. Each drug costs £10,000 per person per year.

Currently only 2,000 of these sufferers, including those in the Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth health authority area have had access to the drugs a position which has prompted accusations of a postcode lottery' across the country.

This week the Government announced it is in considering sharing the cost of the trial with the drug companies.

Up to 10,000 patients are set to benefit from the scheme which will test whether the drugs are effective over a number of years.

Jack Wood, secretary of the MS Society Wandsworth branch, said: "The sooner a sufferer can get on to these drugs the better. They are not suitable for everyone because of the side effects but it is important that all sufferers are treated equitably and given access to the drug."

A spokesman for the health authority added: "We have been using these drugs since they first came out so this will not directly affect us.

However, we are interested in the trials and welcome them as it will help MS sufferers."

November 6, 2001 16:30