Oral Answers to Questions

Caroline Nokes Excerpts

Tuesday 2nd June 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hunt]

I welcome my hon. Friend to her place as someone who campaigned a great deal on health issues while she was a parliamentary candidate; it is wonderful to see her here. That is a tragic case and we need to look at those rules. I will take that up and see what we can do.

[Caroline Nokes (Romsey and Southampton North) (Con)]

2. When he expects NHS England to reach a decision on access to Translarna for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy; and if he will make a statement.

[Mr Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley) (Lab)]

11. When he expects NHS England to reach a decision on access to Translarna for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy; and if he will make a statement.

[Caroline Nokes]

I thank the Minister for that response and welcome him to his place. Yesterday my constituent Jules Geary came to see me regarding her son Jagger, who suffers from Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Jagger had been approved for Translarna treatment but then suddenly found that it had been withdrawn at the last moment. Like many other boys, he is now waiting, not knowing when a treatment that will prolong his mobility will be forthcoming. Will my hon. Friend meet me, Jules and Muscular Dystrophy UK to discuss how this process can be streamlined so that other children do not have to wait this long?

[Ben Gummer]

Muscular dystrophy is a terrible, debilitating illness and my sympathies go out to Jagger and his family. My hon. Friend will be aware that families and their representatives will be going to Downing Street on 10 June to make their representations on this matter. The Minister for Life Sciences has introduced an accelerated access review precisely because of the concerns that my hon. Friend has raised, and I know that he will welcome representations once it has been completed.