Patients wait to get sight drug

AMD disease leads to loss of sight

Patients in Guernsey hoping to get the sight drug Lucentis free of charge will have to wait for funding to be agreed, said the States health minister.

The drug is used to treat age-related wet macular degeneration (AMD), a disease that can cause blindness.

On Wednesday it was announced the NHS in England would fund treatment with Lucentis.

Deputy Hunter Adam said a draft report on the issue would be discussed by the health board in September.

This money has to come from somewhere Deputy Hunter Adams

There are about 30 patients in Guernsey who would benefit from using the drug.

Deputy Adam said: "We'd have approximately a [total] annual cost of �270,000 to treat these patients.

"This money has to come from somewhere, and it either comes from the Health and Social Services Department, with savings from other services, or we have to go to the States and ask for extra money for our budget."

The island's chief pharmacist has prepared a report on Lucentis, which will be considered by the Health Department board next month.

The drug, which is made by Novartis, is already available on the NHS in Scotland, while Wales and Northern Ireland have said they will also fund it.

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