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Macular Degeneration: Medical Treatments

Asked by Helen MorganLiberal DemocratDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled Answered 19 March 2026UIN 119531

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that NICE Guidance to prevent irreversible sight loss is being met for patients with wet age-related macular degeneration.

Answered by Dr Zubir Ahmed

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has issued technology appraisal guidance recommending several medicines for use in the treatment of wet age-related macular generation. The National Health Service in England is legally required to fund medicines in line with NICE’s recommendations, normally within three months of the publication of final guidance.

NICE has also published a clinical guideline that provides comprehensive guidance on best practice in the management of patients with this condition, which is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng82

NICE clinical guidelines are not mandatory, but NHS commissioners are expected to take them fully into account in ensuring that local services meet the needs of their populations.

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