Wet Age Related Macular Degeneration

EDM number 1545 in 2001-02, proposed by Liam Fox on 02/07/2002.

That this House expresses its dismay at draft NICE guidance restricting the use of photodynamic therapy for wet age related macular degeneration to those affected in both eyes; notes that this condemns thousands of people to blindness in one eye and increases the risk that injury or disease to the other eye could lead to blindness or severe visual impairment; notes that many patients will not be prepared to accept this situation and will therefore feel obliged to pay for treatment thereby building a two-tier service; further notes that the existing difficulties in achieving early diagnosis and referral of this condition will be exacerbated by such guidance; further questions what evidence justifies the draft guidance that an eye with worse sight than 6/36 should not be treated; and calls on the Government to intervene to ensure that this draft guidance is changed so that a patient affected in one eye may be treated, and to make a clear statement that there are no plans for treatment for other eye conditions such as cataract, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy to be rationed in that it is available only to those affected in both eyes.

This motion has been signed by a total of 164 MPs.