Thousands of people living with multiple sclerosis in England are set to benefit from a pioneering new NHS treatment designed to improve walking ability and increase independence.
NHS England has announced that fampridine will now be routinely available across the NHS for eligible patients. The treatment is the first medication specifically developed to improve walking in adults with MS and is expected to benefit around 5,000 people in its first year of availability.
Fampridine is taken as a tablet twice daily and works by helping damaged nerves transmit electrical signals more effectively. Often described as a “signal booster” for the nervous system, the drug can improve communication between the brain, spinal cord and muscles, helping some patients move more easily.
For people with MS, walking difficulties can be among the most challenging symptoms, affecting their ability to work, socialise and carry out daily activities independently. While physiotherapy, mobility aids and treatments for muscle stiffness have traditionally been the main options available, fampridine offers a new medical approach to addressing mobility problems directly.
Clinical trials demonstrated encouraging results, with 43% of patients experiencing improved walking speed. Some individuals were also able to walk further distances, potentially transforming their ability to manage everyday tasks and maintain social connections.
Patients prescribed the treatment will undergo an initial trial period lasting between two and four weeks. Their walking ability will be assessed before and after treatment, with those experiencing clear improvements continuing on the medication. Ongoing reviews will ensure the treatment remains effective over time.
Professor Frankie Swords, NHS National Medical Director, said:
“Walking difficulties can have a huge impact on the freedom and independence of people with MS, so this signal-boosting pill could be life-changing for thousands of patients.
“Fampridine helps electrical messages travel along nerves damaged by MS, giving people the chance to walk more easily and helping them be more mobile to do more of the everyday things that matter to them.
“For some, even a modest improvement could mean getting around the house more easily, going out with greater confidence and living more independently.”
The treatment will be available to adults with any form of MS whose mobility difficulties fall within specific clinical criteria. Eligible patients must have an Expanded Disability Status Scale score between four and seven. This ranges from individuals who can walk approximately 500 metres without assistance to those who are largely dependent on a wheelchair and unable to walk more than five metres.
The decision to commission fampridine follows a detailed assessment by NHS England’s Clinical Priorities Advisory Group, which evaluates specialist medicines, devices and treatments based on clinical benefit and value for money. The move also aligns access in England with provisions already available in other parts of the UK.
Multiple sclerosis is a lifelong neurological condition caused by damage to nerves in the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms vary widely and may include fatigue, muscle weakness, loss of sensation, balance problems, coordination difficulties and mobility issues. More than 130,000 people are estimated to be living with MS across the UK.
Health leaders believe the wider availability of fampridine could offer many patients greater freedom, confidence and quality of life by helping them remain active and independent for longer.
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