The Medicines and Medical Devices Bill 2019-21 (Bill 136) was introduced in the Commons on 13 February 2020 and had its Second Reading on 2 March 2020. The Committee Stage ran from 8-10 June 2020 and remaining Commons stages took place on 23 June 2020. The Bill was considered in the Lords between June 2020 and January 2021. Consideration of the Lords amendments will take place in the Commons on 27 January 2021.
Documents to download
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The Off-patent drugs Bill 2015 (507 KB, PDF)
The Off-patent Drugs Bill 2015 is a Private Members’ Bill tabled by Nick Thomas-Symonds after he came eighth in the Private Members’ Bill ballot this year. It had its first reading on the 24 June and is tabled for Second Reading on 6 November 2015. It is the second Bill on the list for consideration on this day.
The Bill intends to address the situation where a drug that has an expired patent is discovered to be effective for a new indication that is not within the scope of its licence. It would require the Secretary of State:
- to seek licences for off-patent drugs in new indications; and
- to request the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to conduct technology appraisals for off-patent drugs in new indications.
Nick Thomas-Symonds described the Bill and its intentions in an article for the Independent in July 2015. He said that it would improve access to low-cost treatments for a range of conditions, including Parkinson’s disease, Breast Cancer and Multiple Sclerosis.
A very similar Private Member’s Bill was tabled by Jonathan Evans MP in the 2014 Parliament. This did not pass Second Reading. In responding to the Bill, the Under-Secretary of State for Life Sciences said that the Government agreed with the intention of the Bill but did not believe it was necessary, as doctors can already prescribe ‘off-label’ where this in the patient’s best interests and there is no licensed alternative.
The Bill has support from a number of medical charities, including Breast Cancer Now, Multiple Sclerosis Society UK and the Cure Parkinson’s Trust.
Related Links
Documents to download
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The Off-patent drugs Bill 2015 (507 KB, PDF)
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