NICE* has announced it will not be recommending Siponimod (Mayzent) as an NHS treatment for active Secondary Progressive MS (SPMS) in England and Wales.
NICE acknowledges that there are very limited treatment options for people with SPMS and clinical trials have shown that Siponimod can slow the worsening of disability.
However, NICE has concluded that they are unable to recommend Siponimod as a cost-effective treatment for the NHS for England and Wales without more detailed evidence and analysis of the data.
David Martin, the CEO of the MS Trust, has said:
We are hugely disappointed by this initial decision. Time and time again, we hear from people with secondary progressive MS struggling at home, feeling like they have been forgotten. Just earlier this month, a new report has highlighted the significant gaps in support and services for people with SPMS. Not everybody will be eligible for siponimod, but we hope that the availability of a new treatment will lead to a renewed focus on the needs of all people with SPMS.
The MS Trust is reviewing NICE’s decision and is continuing to make the strongest possible case for NHS approval.
* NICE stands for National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and they provide clinical guidelines that are used nationally. These are recommendations on how healthcare and other professionals should care for people with specific conditions. The recommendations are based on the best available evidence.
Source: The MS Trust Website – https://www.mstrust.org.uk/news/siponimod-active-secondary-progressive-ms-rejected-nice