BLINDNESS DRUG DECISION OUTRAGEOUS - LAMB

9.43.16am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 14th Jun 2007

Commenting on a preliminary decision not to make drugs for a leading cause of blindness widely available on the NHS, Norman Lamb MP said: "This ruling is outrageous. The decision making process should take into account the full costs of an illness to an individual - and not just the cost in pounds to the NHS."

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), who provide national guidance on the use of medical treatments, has recommended that drugs for treating wet age-related macular degeneration are restricted. It has also recommended that the treatment is restricted to those suffering from the disease in both eyes, and even then it should only to be used to treat the least affected eye.

Norman Lamb MP, who is also Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, went on to say:

"Healthcare should be about prevention, yet patients will have to lose their sight in one eye before they can get treatment."

"Wet age-related macular degeneration has a devastating impact on a sufferer's quality of life. It cannot be right that these wider factors are not taken into account by NICE."