I was in Parliament in April for a roundtable discussion chaired by Sadik Al-Hassan MP on the challenges that large numbers of NHS patients face in getting access to medicines with multiple indications, alongside representatives from other patient organisations and pharmaceutical companies. Increasing numbers of drugs are being used to treat more than one health condition or ‘indication.’ However, NHS England’s current system of paying a fixed price for a drug across every indication it is used to treat, and the limited flexibility for considering indication-specific pricing, means that not all drugs get approved to treat all indications. This can result in health inequalities for NHS patients, with many not being able to get access to medicines which may help them, even when they are being used to treat people in other countries.

In the meeting I referenced one specific patient group, those experiencing loss of smell due to severe Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps, for whom sinus surgery does not provide lasting relief from symptoms and who are currently unable to access certain biologic drugs which may benefit them.

At SmellTaste we think that the whole system needs reform, and launched a campaign on this last year 

At the meeting I said that it’s important that all stakeholders: policymakers, patient organisations and industry, need to work together to develop a better solution that prioritises the needs of NHS patients. The positive discussions at Wednesday’s meeting felt like the beginning of a step forwards, and I am looking forward to playing a role in this drive for much-needed change.

I also talked about a wider issue here for the many people living with impaired smell and taste. Treatment depends on cause, and for many causes of smell and taste impairment there are limited or no treatments available. There is a real need for more research into better understanding the different causes and developing new treatments. We need the pharmaceutical industry to be better aware of the needs of the people that SmellTaste represents, another reason growing our engagement with the industry is so important.

Duncan Boak
Chief Executive and founder
Duncan@smelltaste.org.uk
www.linkedin.com/in/duncanboak
www.smelltaste.org.uk