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FOI release

FOI – 2023-000033 Rheumatoid arthritis treatment (HTML)

Published on 02 February 2023

Date received - 26 January 2023 | Date responded - 02 February 2023

Request

Please let have all recorded information leading to the decision by NHS Scotland to use only Amgevita , and not any other biological drug such as Imraldi, for treating rheumatoid arthritis patients in Scotland.

Response

Under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Scotland act 2002 (FOISA) an organisation does not have to provide the information if it does not hold that information. NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) does not hold any information leading to the decision made to only use Amgevita and not any other biological drug such as Imraldi for treating rheumatoid arthritis patients in Scotland.

The national Framework Agreement, which can be found using this link to Public Contract Scotland (PCS), which was awarded by National Procurement (NP), a business unit within NSS, includes multiple brands of Adalimumab; inclusive of Amgevita® and Imraldi®. Prescribing decisions are made by each individual territorial health board based on local clinical guidelines and medicine formulary management processes, therefore prescribing decisions fall outside of the remit of NSS or NP. If you wish to contact the territorial health boards in attempt to obtain their view, this can be done using the following email addresses:

I trust you will find the information of assistance and if you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

If you are unhappy with any aspect of how we have dealt with your request, you can make representations to us asking us to review the handling of your request.

If you require any further information, please contact Head of Information and Cyber Security, Digital and Security within 40 working days of the date of this correspondence.

Contact

Email: nss.foi@nhs.scot

Address

NHS National Services Scotland
Headquarters
Gyle Square
1 South Gyle Crescent
Edinburgh
EH12 9EB

If after a review you are still unhappy, you also have the right to apply to the Scottish Information Commissioner, who can be contacted at Kinburn Castle, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9DS, or via their application form.

National Services Scotland (NSS) is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. You can view all FOI responses within our FOI Publications repository.

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