Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of research in other countries into the use of Cladribine to treat multiple<i></i>sclerosis; and what such research has been carried out in the United Kingdom for the National Health Service.

Cladribine is not licensed for the treatment of multiple sclerosis.

Prescribers can prescribe a medicine “off label” for unlicensed indications if they consider it to be of benefit to the patient and on condition that they retain full clinical responsibility for that patient.

The National Institute for Health Research Horizon Scanning Centre published a report on cladribine for multiple sclerosis in 2008 and this is available at:

www.hsc.nihr.ac.uk/topics/cladribine-movectro-for-multiple-sclerosis-relapsi

We have made no assessment of research undertaken in other countries.