Decision imminent over MS pill revolution Published on Saturday 10 March 2012 01:28 THE Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) will decide on Monday if it will recommend the prescribing of the first oral pill for the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis in Scotland. Currently, suffers face painful daily injections deep into the muscle or having to travel to hospital for infusion therapy to try to control the disease, which damages the central nervous system, causing a range of disabilities such as problems with co-ordination, speech and vision. But this treatment could be consigned to the past for thousands of sufferers north of the Border if the SMC gives the go-ahead for the drug Fingolimod, the world's first licensed pill for the condition. Sufferers would instead take a daily pill estimated to halve the chances of a relapse. Scotland has one of the highest rates MS in the world with around 10,500 cases diagnosed. Research indicates genetic factors may play a role. The disease is mostly diagnosed in people aged between the ages of 20-40 and affects almost twice as many women than men. The drug is targeted at those suffering the most common form of the disease which is "relapsing and remitting," characterised by exacerbations or flare-ups interspersed with remission. Nick Rijke, director of policy and research at the MS Society, said: "We're expecting the Scottish Medicines Consortium to make their final decision on Fingolimod imminently. This treatment has the potential to benefit thousands of people living with MS in Scotland. We would therefore like to see it become available to all those who could benefit. Fingolimod, also known as "Gilenya," is an immunosuppressant which works by keeping lymphocytes (a type of immune cell) sequestered in the lymph nodes. This reduces the number of lymphocytes reaching the brain and spinal cord where they might attack the coating of the nerve cells. The annual cost of treating one patient with Fingolimod is estimated at £19,665, compared with £21,257 for Natalizumab, used in monthly infusions. Relapses requiring hospitalisation cost the NHS more than £3,000 per episode. The drug, already approved in 35 countries, including the US, Canada and Germany, was licensed in the UK last April meaning health officials recognised that it was "relatively safe and did something beneficial for a particular ailment." However, the vital decision for sufferers in Scotland, to be announced on Monday afternoon, is whether Fingolimod can be prescribed across all health boards in Scotland making it routinely available to patients. Currently, clinicians can request funding on a case-by-case basis for individual patients subject to approval by their hospital trust. A limited number of patients in the UK, chosen to be part of pilot studies, have also had access to Fingolimod. A spokesman for the SMC said: "We can confirm that our decision on Fingolimod will be announced on Monday afternoon." The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, the medicines regulatory body for England, is due to announce its decision on the drug, the following week.