Thursday, October 9, 2008

Petiton against NICE withdrawing Infliximab and Humira for maintenance

Hi there guys and gals,
First of all, I'm really so sorry that I haven't been around for quite a while now. I've had a lot going on, but it's still not really an excuse to be so quiet :(
Just wondered, if any of you know about what NICE (National Institute of Clinical Excellence) in the UK is proposing to do? Well, don't know if you have heard of either Infliximab (Remicade) or Adalimumab (Humira), which are anti TNF drugs used in the treatment of Crohn's disease. Well, basically, they are considering withdrawing both these treatments for maintenance purposes, which could potentially be devastating to many Crohn's sufferers who are currently being treated with these medications to help keep their Crohn's under control (including me). For me, Infliximab has been my lifeline, and I truly do not know what I would do without it.
If you want to know a little more, there is some info on the NACC website (National Association for Crohn's and Colitis) found at http://nacc.org.uk Then click on the " NICE Anti TNF Therapy Guidance" box for more information.
I would be so grateful (and I'm sure so will many others) if you would take the time to sign this petition - please click on the link below. Unfortunately it is only open to UK residents or expats, but obviously there is strength in numbers, so the more people we can get to sign, the better chance we have. We have to collect 200 plus signatures before 15th October, so we don't have long. Thank you so much in advance for your support, it is hugely appreciated.
Ok, so here's the link:
Thanks again, and best wishes to all, Ruth xx