Key Summary
- Fampridine (Fampyra) is now routinely available on the NHS in England as the first medication designed specifically to improve walking in adults with multiple sclerosis (MS).
- Acting as a "signal booster" for damaged nerves, trials show the twice-daily pill improved walking speed in 43% of patients and allowed them to walk longer distances.
- Patients will undergo a two- to four-week trial period, continuing treatment if clear improvements in mobility and everyday independence are demonstrated.
Thousands of people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) in England will now be able to access a new treatment on the NHS designed to help them walk more easily and live more independently.
Fampridine, marketed under the brand name Fampyra, is the first medication specifically designed to improve walking in adults with MS.
Taken as a pill twice daily, it acts as a "signal booster" for nerves damaged by the condition, helping electrical impulses travel more effectively from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles.
Multiple sclerosis is a lifelong neurological condition that can cause weakness, fatigue, loss of sensation, and severe balance and coordination issues.
Until now, NHS support for MS-related walking difficulties relied primarily on physiotherapy, mobility aids, orthotic devices, and muscle-stiffness management.
Clinical trials indicate that fampridine improves walking speed and duration in approximately 43% of patients, offering a targeted pharmacological alternative.
Under the new NHS roll-out, patients will initially try the medicine for two to four weeks. Their walking ability will be assessed before and after the trial, with those who experience clear benefits remaining on the drug long-term subject to regular reviews.
NHS England estimates that around 5,000 eligible patients will access the treatment in its first year.
Commenting on the announcement, Professor Frankie Swords, NHS National Medical Director, said: “Walking difficulties can have a huge impact on the freedom and independence of people with MS, so this signal-boosting pill could be life-changing for thousands of patients.
“Fampridine helps electrical messages travel along nerves damaged by MS, giving people the chance to walk more easily and helping them be more mobile to do more of the everyday things that matter to them.”
Professor James Palmer, National Medical Director for Specialised Services at NHS England, highlighted the shift in care options: “For people with MS who have spent years relying on physiotherapy, walking aids or help from others, having access to a one-of-a-kind treatment specifically for walking difficulties offers real hope of greater independence. Thousands of patients will now be able to try fampridine on the NHS, with treatment continuing where it makes a clear difference to their mobility and daily lives.”
The decision was welcomed by advocacy groups, who emphasized the importance of equitable distribution across health authorities.
Ceri Smith, Head of Policy and Evidence at the MS Society, added: “Over 120,000 people live with MS in England and fampridine is the only licensed treatment that helps improve walking ability and speed for some of these people. For many of them, it’s life-changing, allowing them to live more independently or stay in employment.”
The drug was approved through NHS England’s Clinical Priorities Advisory Group, which evaluates specialized treatments and indications outside the standard review scope of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
