Written question asked by Janet Dean (Labour) on Wednesday, 2 May 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 8 May 2007. It was answered by Ivan Lewis (Labour) on Tuesday, 15 May 2007 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Arthritis: Drugs

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the evidential basis is for the statement made in the Musculoskeletal Service Framework that the year-on-year costs of TNF alpha inhibitors are likely to be offset by keeping patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) at work and reducing the need for them to claim incapacity benefits; what research her Department has funded on this topic; and what steps her Department is taking to enable people with RA (a) to remain in and (b) to return to work;

Answer: The evidence for the statement is contained in the Health Technology Assessment (HTA) report ““The use of modelling to evaluate new drugs for patients with a chronic condition: the case of antibodies against tumour necrosis factor in rheumatoid arthritis””. A copy has been placed in the Library.The National Co-ordinating Centre for Health Technology Assessment co-ordinates the HTA programme under contract from the Department.The musculoskeletal services framework aims to enable people with rheumatoid arthritis to remain in, or return to, work by managing patient flows through primary and secondary care, shortening waiting times, and providing patients with better information to manage their condition.It is the responsibility of local health bodies to ensure that the multidisciplinary clinical assessment treatment services contain the most appropriate mix of health professionals, including specialists in rheumatology.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 136377; 460 c715-6W
Session: 2006-07
Related items: Deposited Paper DEP 07/1159
Tuesday, 15 May 2007
Deposited papers
House of Commons
Subjects: Drugs Arthritis
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk