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<p>Discussions with Vertex, including meetings, are ongoing.</p><p>NHS England and
NHS Improvement are leading the negotiations with Vertex and have made a revised and
improved offer to Vertex that would provide immediate funding for Orkambi and Symkevi
in advance of a positive assessment by the National Institute for Health and Care
Excellence (NICE), in addition to expanded access to Kalydeco which is already funded
by the National Health Service for certain patients.</p><p>The Government fully supports
NICE, NHS England and NHS Improvement in seeking to ensure access for patients to
effective and innovative medicines at a price that represents value to the NHS, and
it is not for Ministers to intervene in this process. The Department’s approach remains
to strongly urge Vertex to accept NHS England’s and NHS Improvement’s generous offer,
but in the absence of a deal, we have asked NHS England and NHS Improvement to continue
to explore all options to ensure patients can access treatments as soon as possible.</p>
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