The British Health Department is considering a risk-sharing funding deal with manufacturers of multiple sclerosis (MS) treatments.
The UK National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has advised that betaferon and glatiramer should not be eligible for government funding because the potential benefit does not justify the cost.
A risk-sharing plan may provide more cost-effective for patients.
One option is to fund betaferon for relapsing-remitting MS patients, according to a report in The Pharmaceutical Journal. These patients would then be assessed to see if the drug was working, and if so, funding would continue.
If patients did not benefit from their treatment, payments to the drug company would be gradually discontinued.
