Petitions Committee welcomes deal on cystic fibrosis drugs

Members of the Petitions Committee have welcomed today's announcement of a deal between the NHS and Vertex Pharmaceuticals to enable life-extending drugs for cystic fibrosis suffers to be available on the NHS.

The announcement of a deal for access to Orkambi, Symkevi and Kalydec follows two petitions, which together secured more than 225,000 signatures and led to the Petitions Committee scheduling two popular debates on the issue.

The two petitions debated were:

• NHS supply new lifesaving drugs for Cystic Fibrosis like 11 other EU countries
  This petition gathered 108,144 signatures, and was debated on 10 June 2019
• Make Orkambi available on the NHS for people with Cystic Fibrosis
  This petition gathered 118,034 signatures, and was debated on 19 March 2018

Helen Jones MP, Chair of the Petitions Committee said:

“Today's deal is a welcome breakthrough for everyone who has tirelessly campaigned for this drug to be available to improve the lives of people with Cystic Fibrosis.

Tens of thousands of people have signed petitions to put pressure on the Government and Vertex Pharmaceuticals to find a solution to this urgent need, and this victory is a true vindication of their efforts.

When people petition the Government and Parliament, they want to see change. Today's announcement shows that these voices can't be ignored.”

 

Paul Scully MP, a member of the Petitions Committee, said:

“This announcement is brilliant news for those living with Cystic Fibrosis. Congratulations to all those who have campaigned, including all those who have petitioned Government and Parliament, and to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, who have been at the forefront of the campaign.

This is a welcome intervention from the Government and a great victory for the power of parliamentary petitions and the power of campaigning.”