The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2015-11-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of removing treatments for multiple myeloma from the Cancer Drugs Fund on investment in clinical trials for that condition in the UK.
George Freeman
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 16 September 2015 to Question 10093.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2015-11-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the reasons for removing treatment options for (a) multiple myeloma and (b) other rare cancers from the Cancer Drugs Fund.
George Freeman
No such assessment has been made. NHS England is responsible for the operational management of the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) and decisions on which treatments are included on the national CDF list are made by the CDF expert clinical panel, which includes expert oncologists, oncology pharmacists and patient representatives.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the spread of hepatitis C.
Jane Ellison
The Department recognises the public health importance of hepatitis C in the United Kingdom. Following a Tuberculosis/Hepatitis C summit held in London in March, Public Health England (PHE) has a comprehensive range of measures in place to tackle the spread of hepatitis C through surveillance, research, advocacy and commissioning-support activities. PHE is working with local authorities on action plans and work programmes to drive improvements in the prevention, awareness raising, diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis C across the UK at a local level.
These activities are undertaken by PHE’s local and national teams and in collaboration with NHS England and third sector partners. The Department works with NHS England to identify the most appropriate way to commission services, to ensure that the right cohorts of patients are able to access treatment when they need it. Particularly in the patients with liver disease from hepatitis C, access to care has specific challenges, and commissioning services will aim to reduce any inequities.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to ensure that funding is made available to treat prostate cancer with olaparib.
George Freeman
Olaparib (Lynparza) is not licensed for use in the treatment of prostate cancer. It is currently undergoing Phase II clinical trials for this condition.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people were diagnosed with hepatitis C in each of the last five years.
Jane Ellison
Public Health England only receives laboratory reports of hepatitis C cases from England and Wales.
Laboratory reports of hepatitis C, England and Wales, 2010 to 2014
|
Year |
2010 (i) |
2011 (ii) |
2012 (iii) |
2013 (iv) |
2014 (v) |
|
Total |
8,147 |
1,0382 |
11,353 |
11,692 |
11,997 |
Across the United Kingdom, more individuals are being tested for hepatitis C and over the last five years particular improvements have been seen in primary care where surveillance indicates that testing has risen by 21% in England (vi).
Citations
(i) Health Protection Report Vol 5. No. 29 22 July 2011
(ii) Health Protection Report Vol 6. No. 30 27 July 2012
(iii) Health Protection Report Vol.7 No. 30 26 July 2013
(iv) Health Protection Report Vol 98 No. 29 25 July 2014
(v) Health Protection Report Vol 9 No. 26 24 July 2015
(vi) Hepatitis C in the UK; 2015 report. Public Health England
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis in each of the last five years.
Jane Ellison
Information concerning the number of people diagnosed with osteoarthritis on an annual basis is not collected and the Department has made no specific estimate of the cost of osteoarthritis to the NHS. Although some relevant costing data are captured, such as those relating to hip fracture, total costs are not available, as additional costs are incurred out of hospital and in other services where data are not available.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of treating osteoarthritis in each of the last five years.
Jane Ellison
Information concerning the number of people diagnosed with osteoarthritis on an annual basis is not collected and the Department has made no specific estimate of the cost of osteoarthritis to the NHS. Although some relevant costing data are captured, such as those relating to hip fracture, total costs are not available, as additional costs are incurred out of hospital and in other services where data are not available.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2015-11-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether NHS England is responsible for implementation of (a) the option in the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation guidance, Immunisation against infectious disease, that allows clinicians to use their clinical judgement where patient circumstances strongly suggest that prophylaxis with palivizumab would prevent serious respiratory syncytial virus infection in infants who are at a particular risk of complications and (b) other options in that guidance.
Jane Ellison
NHS England has responsibility under the Section 7A Agreement to commission specific NHS Public Health programmes on behalf of Secretary of State. This responsibility includes implementation of the service specification for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) which includes both options described in the question.
RSV is a common cause of respiratory tract infections. It usually causes a mild self-limiting respiratory infection in adults and children, but it can be severe in infants who are at increased risk of acute lower respiratory tract infection.
There is no licensed vaccine available for RSV. Preventative treatment for RSV is available by passive immunisation with protective antibodies to protect at risk infants.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) men and (b) women over 50 were diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection in the last year.
Jane Ellison
The Government’s Framework for Sexual Health Improvement (2013) set out the ambition for improving sexual health and wellbeing of the population including continuing to reduce the rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Since 2013, local authorities have been mandated to provide genitourinary medicine (GUM) and integrated services for the early diagnosis and treatment of STIs; these services are open-access with no upper age limit. STI prevention programmes are the responsibility of local authorities, and there are a wide variety of local initiatives underway across England. Public Health England commissions a number of national HIV prevention activities and specialised sexual health information resources to provide educational and health resources to reduce the incidence of STIs including HIV in all age groups.
In 2014, there were 11,126 cases of new STIs including HIV in men aged over 50, and 4,103 cases of STIs including HIV in women aged over 50 years of age.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to reduce the rate of transmission of sexually transmitted infections among (a) men and (b) women over 50.
Jane Ellison
The Government’s Framework for Sexual Health Improvement (2013) set out the ambition for improving sexual health and wellbeing of the population including continuing to reduce the rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Since 2013, local authorities have been mandated to provide genitourinary medicine (GUM) and integrated services for the early diagnosis and treatment of STIs; these services are open-access with no upper age limit. STI prevention programmes are the responsibility of local authorities, and there are a wide variety of local initiatives underway across England. Public Health England commissions a number of national HIV prevention activities and specialised sexual health information resources to provide educational and health resources to reduce the incidence of STIs including HIV in all age groups.
In 2014, there were 11,126 cases of new STIs including HIV in men aged over 50, and 4,103 cases of STIs including HIV in women aged over 50 years of age.