Health secretary hints at ‘constructive’ talks over CF drugs

Health secretary Matt Hancock has offered hope to thousands of people in the UK who have been denied access to powerful cystic fibrosis drugs because of a row over pricing with manufacturer Vertex, saying that fresh discussions with the firm have been “constructive”. Around three years ago NICE said Vertex’s Orkambi MS drug was too expensive for the NHS and since then talks over pricing have been virtually deadlocked. Vertex has since pushed for a pricing deal covering all its CF drugs, including those that are yet to be approved, but has rejected a deal worth around half a billion pounds over five years, and around a billion pounds over 10 years. Hancock gave few details in a brief statement to the House of Commons but said that Vertex is now re-engaging with UK health authorities. Representatives of the Department of Health, NICE and Vertex’s CEO Jeff Leiden were grilled by MPs from the influential Commons Health Committee earlier this month and it looks like this has pushed the company to re-engage.