‘GP’ magazine: retigabine availability

An investigation carried out by ‘GP’ magazine has found that retigabine has been ‘black listed’ by one primary care trust. This is Lincolnshire Prescribing and Clinical Effectiveness Forum (part of NHS Lincolnshire primary care trust).

You can read about the investigation on the ‘GP’ magazine website, here. http://www.gponline.com/News/article/1105156/Exclusive-PCTs-blacklist-dr... 

Retigabine, also known as Trobalt, is a new anti-epileptic drug, which was approved by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) as an add-on treatment for focal seizures in July 2011.

As one of its roles, NICE looks at medications and decides whether they are clinically and cost effective. Three months after a drug has been approved by NICE, it should be made available throughout England and Wales.

However, the investigation found that one primary care trust has placed retigabine on a list of drugs that can not be offered, even if a clinician believes a patient may benefit.

Epilepsy Action will be contacting Lincolnshire Prescribing and Clinical Effectiveness Forum to ask why retigabine is not available to treat people with epilepsy in Lincolnshire, and to ask when they intend to make it available.

If people with epilepsy are being denied any anti-epileptic drug, that their clinician believes they should receive, we would like to hear about it. You can contact campaigns@epilepsy.org.uk or telephone 0113 210 8800.