Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase access to Givinostat for patients in North Shropshire constituency.

The Department understands the impact that Duchenne muscular dystrophy has on those living with it and their families, and the urgent need for new treatment options.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new licensed medicines should be routinely funded by the NHS independently, based on an assessment of their costs and benefits. The NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines recommended by NICE, normally within three months of the publication of final guidance. NICE is currently evaluating givinostat for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and its independent Appraisal Committee met to consider the evidence in July 2025.

The committee identified specific areas where additional evidence is required to support a fully informed decision prior to draft guidance for consultation being published. As a result, NICE has launched a four-week targeted call for evidence from stakeholders, ahead of a further committee meeting in October.