New targeted therapies offered to patients

New drug therapies for some conditions have been introduced by Manx Care

New targeted drug therapies for a range of conditions have been made available to Isle of Man patients.

Manx Care said it was following the recommendations of UK health assessment body following research and drug-trialling data.

The new treatments, which target a specific element of the illness, have been made available for conditions include Rheumatoid Arthritis and Crohn's Disease.

Manx Care said it was "committed" to reviewing developments introduced in the UK and following the same National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) guidance "within current funding and resources".

Recommendations from the body are not legally required to be implemented on the island, although it has now introduced 37 of the therapies recommended by Nice.

The introduction of these treatments would have the same cost, or were cost-saving compared to current drug treatments being offered, Manx Care said.

'Wider choice'

New therapies for Ulcerative Colitis, Psoriatic Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis and Non-radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis have also been made available.

The island's healthcare provider said the development provided a "wider choice of treatment options" for clinicians, particularly if current therapies become "ineffective or are causing adverse side effects".

The drug therapies being introduced include monoclonal antibodies designed to treat autoimmune conditions.

Manx Care said it continued to work on the launch of Nice recommended therapies for other clinical conditions.

"We are investigating current gaps, and where pathways of care can be identified, we will progress them through service development and financial processes", the healthcare body added.