Government delays decision on access to COVID-19 drug Evusheld
Today the UK Government announced to the BBC they're delaying a decision to give Evusheld to vulnerable groups. This is until the results of a review into the drug by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
What is Evusheld?
Evusheld is a drug that can prevent COVID-19 symptoms. It’s taken as two injections into the muscle. Evusheld is taken when people haven’t had a recent COVID-19 infection, to prevent the virus from developing.
Evusheld was licensed for use in the UK in March 2022. The UK regulators licensed it for adults who are unlikely to develop a good immune response from COVID vaccines. This can include some people with MS, such as those who take certain disease modifying therapies (DMTs).
At the moment Evusheld isn’t available on the NHS for anyone. And as far as we’re aware it’s not available privately in the UK.
Does Evusheld work?
Research has shown Evusheld reduces the risk of getting COVID symptoms. In a clinical trial in adults, it was found to reduce the risk of developing symptomatic COVID by 77%. Protection from the virus continued for at least 6 months following a single dose.
That study was before the Omicron variant. So it’s not clear how Omicron might affect how well Evusheld works, or if it would change how it’s used.
What did the Government decide?
The UK Government told the BBC it won’t make Evusheld available until a decision has been made around its use by NICE. NICE decides what treatments are available on the NHS. They look at the cost of a treatment and how effective it is.
NICE are currently consulting around the effectiveness of Evusheld. This process usually takes a number of months, meaning a decision is unlikely to be reached until sometime in early 2023.
The Government needs to act
Jonathan Blades, our Head of Campaigns and External Relations says: “It’s deeply concerning that the Government has decided not to immediately offer the COVID-19 preventative treatment, Evusheld, to those who are immunocompromised.
"As we head into autumn and winter over 500,000 people, including many with MS, remain extremely vulnerable to the virus, even after vaccination. Yet having one dose of Evusheld – which has been found to provide long-lasting protection against COVID-19 for up to six months – could significantly reduce people's risk of hospitalisation as the virus circulates through the winter.
“Evusheld has been a lifeline for many in other countries around the world, and our Government must follow their lead in prioritising vulnerable people. For all other pandemic-related measures, like vaccines and antivirals, the Government has acted swiftly and decisively to make sure the UK has a supply. But handed an opportunity to act for those most vulnerable to COVID-19 they have slowed to a crawl. Until the treatment is made available, people with weakened immune systems remain cruelly in limbo.”
