Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government why patients dependent on immunoglobulin are experiencing (1) treatment "holidays", (2) longer waits between treatments, and (3) smaller doses; and what steps they are taking to secure (a) a stable, and (b) a secure, supply of immunoglobulin.

Clinicians are responsible for the management of patients, including dosage and dosing intervals, with the oversight and governance of sub-regional immunoglobulin assessment panels. The decision to recommend treatment holidays, extended intervals between treatment and reduction of doses in selected patients is based on consensus recommendations from United Kingdom and European experts and draft European Summary of Product Characteristics for immunoglobulin.

The immunoglobulin management plan, currently being produced, will enable the management of immunoglobulin in times of significant supply issues and ensure equal access of immunoglobulin to all patients. The Department has well established processes to deal with medicine shortages and works closely with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, the pharmaceutical industry, NHS England and NHS Improvement and others operating in the supply chain to prevent shortages and ensure that risks to patients are minimised when shortages do arise.