Groundbreaking drug trialled by Dorset boy approved for use on NHS

Available for over a year

At 18 months old, doctors noticed Luca Fernandes from Poole didn't appear to be developing like other children his age. By the time he was four, he'd been diagnosed with the muscle wasting condition Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Most patients are expected to have lost a lot of their mobility by the age of 12. But a new drug called Translarna is offering hope to young people with the condition. It's just been approved for use by the NHS. Luca started taking it seven years ago as part of a trial. He's now 13 and he, and his mum Joanne, have been speaking to our Dorset breakfast show presenter Steve Harris.