LONDON (dpa-AFX) - NHS is offering a new 10-minute injection to slow the progression of multiple sclerosis or MS in patients across Great Britain.
The medicine, Ocrelizumab, sold under the brand name Ocrevus, is given as infusions, which could take four to five hours or more in hospital.
Now, the patients can receive the same medicine via an injection twice a year, following the approval from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, said, 'This new injection will drastically cut the time that regular treatment takes for those living with multiple sclerosis, meaning that thousands of patients can spend less time in hospital while helping free up clinicians' time to see more patients as well as vital capacity on wards'.
'Ocrelizumab has represented a huge advance in care in recent years as the first drug able to change the course of the disease, and we hope this innovative and speedier option will now make another significant difference in improving patients' quality of life and help thousands avoid longer stints in hospital for treatment.'
Multiple sclerosis is a disease caused when a person's immune system mistakenly attacks the protective covering around brain and spinal cord, causing symptoms such as problems with vision, mobility and balance.
Ocrelizumab, manufactured by Roche, helps the patients by targeting a type of immune cell, which stops the cells from attacking the insulating layer around brain and spinal cord.
The condition affects over 150,000 people in the UK with about 135 people diagnosed with the condition every week.
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