Does the Welsh Government make rare disease medicines available in the NHS as soon as they receive marketing authorisation through a period of managed access?
In Wales, decisions on the availability of medicines are guided by the advice of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the All Wales Medicines Strategy Group.
The New Treatment Fund ensures medicines recommended by NICE and AWMSG are routinely available within 60 days of their first recommendation. This includes new and innovative medicines for all conditions, including those NICE recommend for use under managed access arrangements. Since its launch 420 new treatments have been made available through the fund, with the average time to make a new medicine available in Wales just 15 days.