NICE: fingolimod gets the thumbs up in the UK

In its final draft guidance, out today (16 March), NICE, has recommended fingolimod, to help reduce the number of relapses for some MS'ers with highly-active MS. This positive recommendation is a change from NICE's previous draft guidance from December and follows a public consultation during which the manufacturer (Novartis) and clinicians provided additional information and analyses.
" This is very good news and a big relief for all of us who work in the MS field in the UK. If fingolimod was turned down by NICE the implications for other drugs coming through the pipeline, in the future, would have been very dire. At last we now have something to offer MS'ers with highly-active MS in parallel with Natalizumab. In addition, we can now offer MS'ers on natalizumab at high risk of PML the option of switching. MS'ers must be aware that fingolimod comes with its own list of issues; no decision is going to be simple and straightforward."

CoI: multiple, I coordinated a UK MSology lobby to get NICE to reverse their decision