SUFFERERS of an incurable lung condition are campaigning to stop Viagra becoming the disease’s primary treatment on the NHS.
Ann Lacey, of Kelsall, and Mary Walker, of Frodsham, both have the terminal heart and lung condition pulmonary hypertension (PH).
They have high blood pressure in their lungs, reducing the amount of oxygen in their blood and putting pressure on the heart. It causes breathlessness and can lead to heart failure.
PH is twice as common in women as men and can affect all ages, but is most likely to be found in 40 to 50-year- olds. It affects 4,000 people in the UK.
The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has recommended that drugs currently used for PH, which cost more than £40,000 a year, should be withdrawn from the NHS.
NICE says the cost of these advanced drugs outweighs the effect on patients.
If these primary recommendations are implemented the first-line treatment will be the cheapest drug, Viagra (officially known as Sildenafil).
Only if Viagra does not work or it is unsafe to use the drug in the first place will they be able to move the patient onto the more expensive treatment options.
NICE clinical director Peter Littlejohns said: “Our review of the evidence suggests that Sildenafil is both clinically effective and cost-effective in treating pulmonary hypertension in adults.”
Ann is already using these drugs and would not be affected by the proposal, but Mary is not using these drugs so could miss out on ever accessing them.
They are both members of the Pulmonary Hypertension Association which is asking readers to ask their MP to support an Early Day Motion in Parliament which opposes the NICE proposal.
For more information, see the association’s www.pha-uk.com website or call 01709 761450.
