Fighting to save sight: The case of Macular degeneration
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Macular degeneration is a build-up of pressure behind the eye.
The most severe form of this condition, Wet Age-Related Macular degeneration or 'Wet AMD' is the most common cause of blindness in the United Kingdom.
The Royal National Institute for Blind People recently estimated that a quarter of a million people in the UK are suffering from the disease.
Dennis Devier is already blind in one eye due to Wet AMD. When the drugs Lucentis and Macugen were licenced for use on Wet AMD he thought he would no longer have to privately fund the drugs.
However, his local Primary Care Trust, Oxfordshire, have refused to fund his treatment and NHS advisor NICE has released preliminary guidance suggesting that Macugen will not be funded on the NHS, and Lucentis will only be provided for 20% of Wet AMD sufferers.
Here Dennis discusses his condition:
In a statement Oxfordshire PCT said:
"There is no total ban on treatment with Lucentis since there may be cases in which a particular patient has special circumstances which present an exceptional need for treatment – that means an individual patient who has the ability to benefit more than other patients with the same condition. Oxfordshire PCT is disappointed to hear that the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance for this treatment has been delayed. Earlier publication would have helped us make these difficult decisions.
"We wrote to Mr Devier on 3 July to confirm that his case will be considered again by the Case Review Committee on 18 July, following additional information received about his condition."
Mr Devier intends to take Oxfordshire PCT to court.
NICE's recommendations are currently open for public consultation on its website.
* Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons- licence