Thank you for contacting me about cystic fibrosis.

NHS England has reached an agreement with Vertex Pharmaceuticals which includes all three of their cystic fibrosis medications, Orkambi, Symkevi and Kalydeco. I congratulate the team negotiating this deal. I hope that people who suffer with cystic fibrosis are able to access these medications as soon as possible.

This good news gives hope to so many patients and their families across the country after the many months of negotiations that I know have been so frustrating to the families concerned. It is thanks to the hard work of campaigners as well as the many colleagues in Parliament who took such an interest in this issue that we’ve managed to reach this moment.

NHS England have committed that clinicians will be able to start offering these treatments within 30 days from when this was announced. Access to all three drugs has been agreed not only for all current licenced indications, but for possible future licence extensions too.

I would also like to highlight that the NHS has agreed with Vertex that the terms of the agreement may also apply in Wales and Northern Ireland, if the devolved administrations wish to benefit from them.  Scotland has agreed a separate arrangement with Vertex.