Nice Will Cave in on Photodynamic Therapy, Says RNIB

Charities involved in the row over whether photodynamic therapy (PDT) for 'wet' AMD sufferers should be available on the NHS were this week predicting victory in the New Year. The Royal National Institute for the Blind and other groups have fought to have the treatment introduced more widely than initial recommendations - which meant that PDT would be only used in the better seeing eye - which led to a public outcry. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) postponed its recommendations in the summer until January. This only led to accusations that thousands of people will go blind in the meantime before the Government-linked body makes its mind up whether to allow the ú1,500 procedure to be carried out within the NHS. At the start of this week's promotional 'Retina Week' an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 people were claimed to be at risk of losing the sight in one eye, according to the AMD Alliance.

(Source: AP Biscom)