Oral Answers to Questions

Gary Streeter Excerpts

Tuesday 16th April 2013 Commons Chamber

[Norman Lamb]

I am certainly willing to meet the all-party group, but I think that significant new opportunities are emerging. For example, from this month the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence will be responsible for the evaluation of new drugs for the treatment of rare conditions, and I think that that is a very good thing.

[Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon) (Con)]

One of my constituents, a seven-year-old boy, has Duchenne muscular dystrophy. His family are pinning their hopes on a new drug called ataluren, which has not yet completed its trials. Can the Minister give me any idea when it might become available?

[Norman Lamb]

I understand that the manufacturer of ataluren has applied for conditional approval from the regulatory authorities. We await the outcome of that process, but I am afraid that I cannot give a time scale for it.