Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to encourage NHS England to pursue innovative commercial arrangements for medicines for (a) cystic fibrosis and (b) other rare diseases.

NHS England is fully able to agree flexible, commercial arrangements to make medicines for cystic fibrosis and other rare diseases available on the National Health Service, provided the manufacturer is willing to offer a fair and cost-effective price. In the case of Vertex’s medicines for cystic fibrosis, NHS England has made a highly collaborative and flexible offer, and there are now discussions ongoing with the manufacturer to seek a final agreement.

Any deal is not for Ministers to approve, as NHS England rightly make an independent judgement. However, the Department is aware that meetings are taking place and the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Health (Lord O’Shaughnessy) and I wrote to Vertex in April following a Westminster Hall debate to encourage the company to work with NHS England on a proposal that represents value to the NHS.