An Essex multiple sclerosis expert today questioned a ruling which is delaying availability of a new drug.

The Government body which assesses new medicines, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (Nice), said it would not rule on controversial Beta Interferon until next July.

There are an estimated 85,000 to 100,000 people diagnosed with MS in the UK.

Campaigners were expecting to hear in January if they would be able to get the drug on the NHS after a long-running battle over its benefits and cost effectiveness.

Lawrence Wood, chief executive of the Multiple Sclerosis Resource Centre, based in Stanway, said: "It is important to bear in mind that it is only suitable for a small proportion of people with MS."

But he added: "It is the only thing that is clinically proven to treat people with the disease. It does seem like a long time to wait."

A provisional leaked ruling by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence in February said the £10,000-a-year beta Interferon was not cost effective and should effectively be banned on the health service.

But following a successful appeal by the drug's manufacturers and the MS Society, Nice was ordered to reconsider its ruling.

An expert appraisal committee met to consider the evidence last week and a final ruling was expected in the New Year.

But yesterday (Wednesday) Nice said it wanted to see more evidence about the drug's cost-effectiveness.

Beta Interferon can help sufferers of relapsing-remitting MS, which causes victims to have periods of good health followed by relapses which can leave them paralysed for months at a time.

Experts believe MS is caused when a natural chemical in the body, gamma interferon, goes haywire and causes the immune system to attack healthy cells.

Peter Cardy, chief executive of the MS Society, said: "It is breathtaking bungling when, after nearly a year of appraisal, people with MS now have to wait until next autumn to know whether they can receive on the NHS treatments which could change their lives.

"People who by then may have become too disabled to benefit from the drugs will find it impossible to understand why Nice has only now decided to look at their cost effectiveness in a different way."

The MRSC is on 01206 505444 with a website at: www.msrc.co.uk

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