Multiple Sclerosis suffers in Oxfordshire are missing out on life-changing drugs, a new report has found. A survey by the MS Society found that 79 per cent of Oxfordshire MS patients are not getting proper help.
It is one of the poorest rates in the UK according to the charity, which spoke to 131 MS suffers in Oxfordshire.
Nick Rijke, director for policy and research at the MS Society, said: “These finding worryingly suggest that many people with MS are being denied treatments that can dramatically improve quality of life, reducing relapses and the range of often devastating symptoms that come with them.
Health officials in Oxfordshire say 1,950 people in the county have MS.
The condition cannot be cured, but certain licensed drugs can improve quality of life and even stop the condition from progressing.
The MS Society is calling on the Government to ensure every person with MS has a personalised treatment, care and support plan, with two comprehensive medical reviews each year.
This article appeared in The Oxford Times, 2nd May 2013