Early day motion tabled by primary sponsor Ian Gibson (Labour), on Wednesday, 11 January 2006, in the House of Commons. It is signed by 97 members in total.

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TUBERCULOSIS TESTING

That this House notes with concern that the prevalence of tuberculosis (TB) in the United Kingdom has risen by 33 per cent.; further notes that the tuberculin skin test for latent TB infection was developed 115 years ago and is inaccurate in up to 50 per cent. of cases; observes that the new T-SPOT blood test for TB delivers a 96.3 per cent. sensitivity rate, reducing missed TB cases, morbidity and higher costs of treating subsequent disease; further observes that the T-SPOT blood test requires only one visit to hospital, avoiding gaps in detection and treatment as a result of up to one-third of patients failing to attend the second visit required for skin testing; further notes that the Government's 2004 TB Action Plan identifies accurate diagnosis using technological advances as one of the key priorities for the control of TB; further observes that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) appears in its draft guidance on TB testing to have reflected neither the potential savings of ??7,000 for every additional case of TB averted through use of the blood test, nor the improved quality of life of patients; further observes that the alternative Mantoux skin test being considered would require substantial retraining of healthcare personnel and is unlicensed for use in the United Kingdom; and calls upon the Department of Health and NICE to review current testing policy and promote greater adoption of the T-SPOT blood test as the most effective procedure.

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Secondary information

Type

Early day motion

Reference

1346 

Session

2005-06

Other sponsors

Richard Burden

Paul Flynn

Kelvin Hopkins

Eric Illsley

Andrew Dismore

Subjects

Testing Tuberculosis

Link

View this Early day motion on www.parliament.uk