Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of developing a cross-departmental strategy including the (a) Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and (b) NHS to (i) support and (ii) promote expertise in cell and gene therapy innovation.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department recognises that advanced cell and gene therapies will be an important part of the future of healthcare and the life sciences industry. The Department has been considering the recommendations of the National Cell and Gene Therapy Vision for the UK, a report published by the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult in March 2022, and the UK Strategic Stem Cell Forum’s latest report, A 10 Year Vision for Stem Cell Transplantation and Advanced Cellular Therapies, published in July 2022. As part of this we have been conducting stakeholder engagement across the cell and gene therapy ecosystem to further understand the challenges raised and whether there is a role for the Department in coordinating activity in this area. We will continue to work with our public sector partners to ensure a whole system approach to advanced therapies, building on existing strengths to ensure a joined-up research, regulatory, and health ecosystem.
Asked by: Jackie Doyle-Price (Conservative - Thurrock)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will review the (a) terms of reference and (b) governance of the UK Stem Cell strategic forum.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The terms of reference and governance of the UK Stem Cell Strategic Forum are reviewed periodically and on an ad hoc basis as required. The Forum published its latest report A 10 Year Vision for Stem Cell Transplantation and Advanced Cellular Therapies in July 2022 to address weaknesses in stem cell transplantation services. The Forum is working with the Department, NHS England, NHS Blood and Transplant, clinicians, industry, and representatives of patient groups to take the recommendations forward. An oversight committee and five working groups have been established in line with the current terms of reference.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people have made stem cell donations in each year since 2020.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The British Society for Blood & Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy collects and publishes information on the number and type of stem cell transplants in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, with the latest published data being from 2021. In 2020, there were 3,566 stem cell transplants and in 2021 there were 4,279 stem cell transplants. These include stem cell transplants from donors related to the patient, donors unrelated to the patient and stem cell donations from cord blood.
Asked by: Jackie Doyle-Price (Conservative - Thurrock)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of increasing self-sufficiency in UK stem cell donations.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The UK Stem Cell Strategic Forum, a Departmental advisory body, has recommended in its report A 10 Year Vision for Stem Cell Transplantation and Advanced Cellular Therapies that donor to patient unrelated donations in the United Kingdom should be increased to 45%. This will improve the sustainability and resilience of UK stem cell supply, maintain the UK’s expertise in stem cell provision and support adoption of advanced cellular therapies. The Department is investing £2.4 million between April 2022 and March 2025 to recruit stem cell donors to improve resilience and help address health inequalities.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to enhance the safety, quality, supply and accessibility of therapies derived from substances of human origin.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Therapies derived from substances of human origin include those using reproductive and non-reproductive tissues and cells, organs, stem cells, blood, and blood products including plasma. A range of different bodies have responsibility for safety, quality, supply and accessibility.
NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) provides some of the safest products in the world and are regulated by the Care Quality Commission, Human Tissue Authority and Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. NHSBT also work closely with the safety policy units of the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues, and Organs and the Joint Professional Advisory Committee to blood services in the United Kingdom.
The Sustainability and Certainty in Organ Retrieval Programme was established in May 2023, following consultation and engagement with stakeholders across the organ donation and transplantation pathway. The key aim is to make improvements to the pathways with the aim of creating a more sustainable, efficient, and predictable service model.
The Department, NHSBT, NHS England and the devolved administrations are working together to create a long-term domestic supply of plasma for lifesaving medicines. Medicines will be available exclusively to National Health Service patients from early 2025. Additionally, the UK Stem Cell Strategic Forum provides advice on how the UK can develop a stronger and more resilient domestic stem cell supply chain.
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority is the UK regulator for the use of reproductive tissues and cells in fertility treatment and embryo research. This remit includes keeping abreast of all issues relating to quality and safety.
Jan. 10 2012
Source Page: Taking stock of regenerative medicine in the United Kingdom. 58 p.Found: Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation 2.
Mar. 14 2024
Source Page: Freedom of Information responses from the MHRA - week commencing 4 December 2023Found: stem cell donor is not a vailable.
Asked by: Bambos Charalambous (Labour - Enfield, Southgate)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions she has had with NHS England on the introduction of (a) gene therapy and (b) other new treatments for patients with thalassaemia.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department regularly discusses a range of issues with colleagues in NHS England related to patient access to new medicines. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes recommendations for the National Health Service on whether all new medicines should be routinely funded by the NHS, based on an assessment of their costs and benefits. The NICE’s appraisal of the gene therapy, exagamglogene autotemcel, for treating transfusion-dependent beta-thalassaemia is currently paused, to allow the company and NHS England to enter into commercial and managed access discussions.
In November 2023, NHS England published a clinical commissioning policy that recommends that allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation for adult transfusion dependent thalassaemia should be routinely commissioned.
Mentions:
1: Neil O'Brien (CON - Harborough) pleased to announce today the publication of recommendations in the FAIR III report for tissue and cell - Speech Link
Mentions:
1: Mark Tami (LAB - Alyn and Deeside) cell transplantation and advanced cellular therapies.Many Members will be aware that a stem cell transplant - Speech Link
2: Mark Tami (LAB - Alyn and Deeside) cell transplantation on patients and families. - Speech Link
3: Neil O'Brien (CON - Harborough) As chair of the all-party parliamentary group on stem cell transplantation and advanced cellular therapies - Speech Link