Multiple sclerosis suffers are being denied the treatment they need, says a leading charity.
The MS Society asked 1,150 people with relapsing MS about the treatment they received.
The research found that six out of 10 patients were not given disease-modifying medication, despite being eligible to receive it.
One in four said they were not aware the medication was available due to being kept in the dark by doctors.
Others had been told they were not ill enough to receive the drugs, despite being told by specialists that they would benefit from taking the medication.
Many of these patients had been left for years without any treatment at all, causing their condition to worsen.
This could have been prevented with two new medicines – Aubagio and Lemtrada – which have been recommended by the NHS as the first line of treatment for MS.
Such medication can reduce the frequency and severity of attacks, and can even help to slow the progression of the disease.
Despite the recent advances in medicine, the UK is among the worst in Europe at providing medication to MS sufferers, of which there are 85,000 in Britain alone.
“Shameful” failings
Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of the MS Society, said: “We understand the pressures the NHS is facing, but there are licensed medicines that can transform the lives of people with MS, and it’s frankly shameful that they are out of reach for so many.
“New, effective medicines are emerging that could dramatically change the landscape of treatment for people with relapsing MS, but the years of research that led to their development will count for nothing if people can’t get hold of them.”
Medication negligence
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