Fampridine, a drug that helps people with multiple sclerosis (MS) walk, is now available on the NHS in England. The decision relieves a financial burden for those who previously paid privately, with one woman having to choose between treatment and heating.
Financial toll on patients
Fiona Chapman, 57, a mother of three with secondary progressive MS, has spent over £15,000 on private prescriptions since her diagnosis in 2013. She paid nearly £200 a month for the drug, which helped her walk. The financial strain became so severe that she began rationing her tablets, taking one a day instead of the prescribed two.
"I couldn't afford to have it every month, so decreased to one tablet a day so it lasted two months," Fiona said. "I wasn't getting the full benefit of it, but I had to balance quality of life against paying the gas bill. You shouldn't have to choose."
Impact on daily life
Fiona was diagnosed at 43 after experiencing falls, numbness, and dizziness. She first tried fampridine in 2017, which cut her time to walk ten metres from 14.5 seconds to five. Despite her MS progressing, the medication allowed her to keep working for her local council and play in her brass band.
However, maintaining mobility came at a cost. She lived in her overdraft, built up credit card debt, and could not afford heating, often keeping the lights off at home. "I've ended up with a lot of debt," she said. She now waits for her local NHS team to approve her free prescription, saving nearly £200 a month.
Hope for others
Up to 5,000 people in England could benefit each year from the treatment, which was previously rejected on cost grounds despite being available in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. TV personality Jane Felstead, 75, mother of Made In Chelsea star Binky Felstead, has spent her life savings on private treatments, travelling as far as Brazil. She now relies on carers funded by Hammersmith and Fulham Council, unable to drive or transfer herself.
Jane said losing independence has been devastating. "I tried so hard," she said. "I tried so many methods, so many different treatments, anything. I grabbed at every little straw." She would "take fampridine like a shot", even knowing it may not restore lost mobility. "Why should it only be available for the privileged ones who can afford it?" she asked. "I would jump at the chance to give it a go."
