Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department is taking steps to increase uptake in the use of monitoring technologies by patients with diabetes.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recently issued clinical guidelines in relation to the management of insulin dependent diabetes, covering patients living with type 1 and insulin dependent type 2 diabetes. This includes devices to support blood glucose monitoring. These recommendations are now being implemented by integrated care boards (ICBs).
On 19 December 2023, NICE published its final recommendation on the hybrid closed loop system for people with type 1 diabetes. NICE has agreed with NHS England that all children and young people, women who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, and those people who already have an insulin pump will be first to be offered a hybrid closed loop system as part of a 5-year roll-out plan. NHS England has set out priorities for access, to help reduce healthcare inequalities through their implementation plan.
Responsibility for the delivery of services and the implementation of NICE recommendations rests with the appropriate National Health Service commissioner. As diabetes care is commissioned by local ICBs, they are responsible for developing commissioning policies. ICBs must pay due regard to NICE guidance, however local decision making applies in terms of deciding whether to utilise their funding to implement the recommendation or not.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 29 February 2024 to Question 15459 on Diabetes: Medical Equipment, what the evidential basis is for growth in the prescribing of diabetes technology for people living with type 2 diabetes.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Care and Excellence (NICE) published a recommendation in March 2023 that people with type 2 diabetes, who have multiple daily insulin injections and a condition or disability that means they cannot use capillary blood glucose monitoring, should be offered Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) technology, either real time or intermittent, to support self-monitoring.
The NICE also recommended in March 2023 that adults with insulin-treated type 2 diabetes having their blood glucose monitored by a care worker or healthcare professional, are offered CGM. The rationale is that CGM can help to improve glycaemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes who use insulin.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department plans to take steps to ensure that every person with diabetes has access to medical technology that helps them manage their condition.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Standard care for type 1 diabetes involves regularly measuring blood glucose levels by self-monitoring, blood testing, or by using a continuous glucose monitor, real-time or intermittently scanned.
The NHS Long Term Plan committed that 20% of people with type 1 diabetes would benefit from life changing flash glucose monitors. Data to quarter three of 2022/23 shows that 73% of people with type 1 diabetes were prescribed flash glucose monitoring, against the 20% target.
In March 2023 the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommended that insulin dependent patients with type 2 diabetes should also benefit from flash or continuous glucose monitoring devices. We are now starting to see a growth in prescribing within the type 2 diabetes patient group.
On 19 December 2023 the NICE published its final recommendation on the hybrid closed loop system. The NICE has agreed with NHS England that all children and young people, women who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, and those people who already have an insulin pump will be the first to be offered a hybrid closed loop system, as part of a five-year roll-out plan. Access to hybrid closed loop systems will be through a five-year phased roll out, in line with NHS England’s implementation plans.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data her Department holds on trends in the incidence rates of (a) Crohn’s and (b) Ulcerative Colitis.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We have no specific plans to make an assessment of the potential merits of implementing a UK-wide blueprint for inflammatory bowel disease. However, in England, NHS England is working with front-line clinical experts, patient representative groups and leading charities, including Crohn’s and Colitis UK, to improve diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This includes a new IBD RightCare scenario, which, when published, will set out high-quality joined-up care at every point of the patient journey, as well as data packs for local commissioners.
In addition, the Getting it Right First Time specialty report on gastroenterology, published in September 2021, sets out actions and recommendations for the National Health Service to improve patient care and ensure consistency of care across the country. Information on trends in the incidence rates of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis is not held.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of implementing a UK-wide blueprint for inflammatory bowel disease.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We have no specific plans to make an assessment of the potential merits of implementing a UK-wide blueprint for inflammatory bowel disease. However, in England, NHS England is working with front-line clinical experts, patient representative groups and leading charities, including Crohn’s and Colitis UK, to improve diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This includes a new IBD RightCare scenario, which, when published, will set out high-quality joined-up care at every point of the patient journey, as well as data packs for local commissioners.
In addition, the Getting it Right First Time specialty report on gastroenterology, published in September 2021, sets out actions and recommendations for the National Health Service to improve patient care and ensure consistency of care across the country. Information on trends in the incidence rates of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis is not held.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department has taken to ensure that second generation GLP-1 weight management medications are being (a) sold and (b) marketed according to their licence specifications.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) are members of the GLP1-RA Incident Management Team. Risk management in relation to the advertising and sale of these medicinal products is a standing item for discussion.
MHRA is obliged to consider complaints received about the advertisement of prescription-only medicines (POMs) to the public. Advertising investigations are carried out on a case-by-case basis, having regard to the circumstances of the particular case. Completed advertising investigations leading to correction of advertising materials are available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/advertising-investigations-by-mhra
MHRA works closely with other regulators to help ensure that the public are protected from the advertising of POMs. A joint enforcement operation is in place with the Advertising Standards Authority to take targeted action against weight-loss treatment providers who use social media to promote POMs.
MHRA takes proportionate action, on a case-by-case basis, to enforce the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 in respect of the advertisement, sale, and supply of second-generation glucagon-like peptide 1 weight management medications. In cases of serious non-compliance, this can include undertaking formal criminal investigations and, where appropriate and evidentially supported, prosecution through the Crown Prosecution Service.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department has held discussions with the MHRA on preventing unlicensed online (a) marketing and (b) sale of second generation GLP-1 weight management medications.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) are members of the GLP1-RA Incident Management Team. Risk management in relation to the advertising and sale of these medicinal products is a standing item for discussion.
MHRA is obliged to consider complaints received about the advertisement of prescription-only medicines (POMs) to the public. Advertising investigations are carried out on a case-by-case basis, having regard to the circumstances of the particular case. Completed advertising investigations leading to correction of advertising materials are available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/advertising-investigations-by-mhra
MHRA works closely with other regulators to help ensure that the public are protected from the advertising of POMs. A joint enforcement operation is in place with the Advertising Standards Authority to take targeted action against weight-loss treatment providers who use social media to promote POMs.
MHRA takes proportionate action, on a case-by-case basis, to enforce the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 in respect of the advertisement, sale, and supply of second-generation glucagon-like peptide 1 weight management medications. In cases of serious non-compliance, this can include undertaking formal criminal investigations and, where appropriate and evidentially supported, prosecution through the Crown Prosecution Service.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department is taking steps to prevent second generation GLP-1 weight management medications being available for purchase online without prescription.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) enforces the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 on behalf of the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. Buying any medicinal product, including second generation glucagon-like peptide 1 weight management medications, from illegally trading online suppliers significantly increases the risk of getting a product which is either falsified or not licensed for use in the United Kingdom. The MHRA continues to work with social media and online sales platforms to build strong partnerships to identify and quickly remove illegal medicines from sale and to identify those unlawfully trading in medicines. We work with partners to remove web content where we can, and to block harmful URLs and domain names.
The MHRA works to prevent false customer feedback from promoting illegal online suppliers and has arrangements in place with major search engine providers to delist offending domain names. The MHRA also works with payment providers to disrupt the processing of payments via illegal sites. The MHRA will take appropriate enforcement action, including, where necessary, prosecuting those who put public health at risk.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the powers of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency to prevent the illegal online (a) marketing and (b) sale of (i) second generation GLP-1 weight management and (ii) other potentially hazardous medications.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has the same powers available to other regulatory organisations and law enforcement agencies when addressing offending online. MHRA takes proportionate action, on a case-by-case basis, to enforce the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 in respect of the illegal sale and supply of second generation glucagon-like peptide 1 weight management medications and other potentially hazardous medications. In cases of serious non-compliance, the agency has the power to undertake formal criminal investigations and, where appropriate and evidentially supported, prosecution through the Crown Prosecution Service.
As this is primarily an online threat, MHRA works closely with social media providers, search engines and the broader internet industry to prevent and disrupt illegal sales and to identify and bring those responsible into compliance with the regulations.
Through its #Fakemeds campaign, MHRA uses social media and other channels to share safety advice and guidance with the public. The aim is to help patients protect their health by offering quick and easy tools and resources to help them avoid fake medical products when shopping online. With practical tips on how to recognise illegally trading websites and case studies of commonly falsified medicines, it also aims to educate the public on the dangers of buying unlicensed or fake medicines and empower them to make the right choices for their health.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many prosecutions have been brought against sellers of (a) second generation GLP-1 weight management medications and (b) other potentially hazardous medications on the internet over the last 12 months.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
To date, no prosecutions have been brought against those involved in the illegal sale of glucagon-like peptide 1 medicines although the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and Humberside Police were involved in executive action as recently as 23 November 2023 following an MHRA investigation into the alleged illegal supply of these products. During the last 12 months, MHRA has completed nine investigations involving the online sale of hazardous medicines. These investigations are at different stages within the criminal justice system.