NICE rejects MS symptom-relieving treatments

1 December 2014

NICE has rejected the NHS use of two treatments indicated to relieve certain symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS).

People who are already receiving Sativex or Fampyra on the NHS should be able to continue treatment until they and their NHS clinician decide it is appropriate to stop.
People who are already receiving Sativex or Fampyra on the NHS should be able to continue treatment until they and their NHS clinician decide it is appropriate to stop.

In its updated clinical guideline on the management of MS in primary and secondary care, NICE advised that patients should not be offered the cannabis-derived oromucosal spray Sativex to treat spasticity or the oral treatment fampridine (Fampyra) to improve walking disability. NICE judged that neither option was cost-effective.

NICE has issued positive opinions on the oral MS treatments dimethyl fumarate (Tecfidera), teriflunomide (Aubagio), and fingolimod (Gilenya) and parenteral alemtuzumab (Lemtrada).

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