Omaveloxolone
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure patients diagnosed with Friedrich’s Ataxia can access Omavelexolone through the NHS.
Answered by Preet Kaur Gill
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for developing evidence-based recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new, licensed medicines represent a clinically and cost-effective use of NHS resources. The NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines recommended by NICE.
NICE has unfortunately been unable to develop guidance for the NHS on the use of omaveloxolone for treating Friedreich's ataxia in people 16 years old and over because the company, Biogen, withdrew its evidence submission. NICE will reopen the appraisal if the company decides to make a new evidence submission.
NHS England does not fund medicines where the company has not engaged with NICE. This is to avoid a potential pathway for circumventing the NICE appraisal process.
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