Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) advances in treatments for multiple sclerosis for NHS patients, including the recently approved first short course oral treatment, cladribine tablets; and (2) the extent to which new treatments will help to reduce burdens on NHS services.

The Department has made no such assessment.

Through its technology appraisal programme, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes recommendations on whether selected drugs and treatments represent a clinically and cost effective use of National Health Service resources, taking into account the impact on the health service of a product.

NICE is currently developing guidance on the use of cladribine for treating multiple sclerosis and expects to publish final guidance in December.