Cystic Fibrosis Drugs: Orkambi

Debate between Alberto Costa and Paul Scully

Monday 10th June 2019 Westminster Hall

[Paul Scully (Sutton and Cheam) (Con)]

I beg to move,

That this House has considered e-petition 231602 relating to access to Orkambi and other drugs for people with cystic fibrosis.

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Bailey. I will read the petition, if I may:

“Children & young adults with CF endure lifelong suffering & early death. They need Orkambi and other precision medicines as they are developed. Sufferers in the EU, US & Australia can access the drugs, but not the UK. Hundreds have died in the 3 years since these drugs were licensed. All MPs who debated the petition in March were passionately in favour of supplying the drugs. Despite an ever-increasing abundance of evidence as to the drugs’ effectiveness, CF sufferers still do not have access. Case studies report miraculous improvements in health. Consultants nationwide have asked the NHS to make the drugs available. Doctors have expressed distress at seeing children die whilst the drug they need is on the shelf. After 3 years, conclude negotiations and fund these drugs.”

I pay tribute to Catherine Meredith, who started the petition, and the 108,144 people who had signed it as of this morning. Many hon. Members present are here because of their constituents and their long-lasting championing of cystic fibrosis treatment and the need to get these drugs to market as soon as possible.

Cystic fibrosis is a severe, devastating and progressive disease. It is a genetic disease, so we know the exact number of people living with it—70,000 around the world. It is considered by many to be a Celtic disease; the UK has 12% of all sufferers, which makes it an important place for research and an important market for pharmaceutical companies, such as Vertex, that have been working on treatment.

[Alberto Costa (South Leicestershire) (Con)]

I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing a clearly important debate. If Orkambi were available on the NHS, my constituent Amelie-Rose Sullivan, who is only two years old, would be able to take that life-saving medicine. Having spoken with her family, I understand that she has needed antibiotics on five occasions, which involves a two-week course each time—a cost to the NHS. Antibiotics might not have been needed if she were taking Orkambi, which underlines the need for Orkambi to be available. Ultimately, it would be better value for the taxpayer and our constituents.

[Paul Scully]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Before I led a similar debate for the Petitions Committee roughly this time last year, I went to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, as I did this morning, where I met and spoke to a lot of parents whose children are suffering, as he has mentioned. This morning, I met a number of adult sufferers, who I will speak further about in a minute. One of them, who is 43, described the disease—this is harsh, especially for any sufferers watching—as his lungs filling up and effectively drowning. That is pertinent to me, because my father died of mesothelioma 30 years ago, after a year of suffering. This man is 43; I cannot imagine that suffering. Early treatment for children, however, stops that build-up in the first place and allows them to keep their lung capacity higher for longer, so they can have a proper standard of living.