BRITISH CITIZENS: YOUR SUPPORT IS NEEDED

Petition for Inquiry into Provision of AntiTNF...Please read and if you can support this worthy cause we would be delighted to have your signature on the petition.

Many Thanks to all who read this article.

As a sufferer of this condition I wanted to highlight it through my blog and hopefully gain a few more signatures to the petition. It seems sad that the Patient Care Trusts (PCT's) in the UK can hold peoples health to ransom based purely on cost and where you live.

This is an email I received re: Ankylosing Spondylitis and AntiTNF.

RE: AntiTNf petition for inquiry into provision by PCT’s

I want to highlight a petition that an As-Assist member has started on the 10 Downing Street website.

Gillian Eames has asked for an inquiry into why all PCT’s are not funding AntiTNF for patients with ankylosing spondylitis. This is because her own PCT have refused to fund the drug for her use now that the antiTNF trial she was on has finished.

When you sign the petition you will get an email from Downing Street with a link you click to confirm your interest. Each signature requires a separate email address so other people with access to your computer can also sign using their own email.

I am aware that some people have already signed the petition and for that I thank them but I am also aware that a lot of members may not yet have seen the petition on the forums.

All AS sufferers will not require antiTNF but those who reach a stage in their condition where standard drugs have become ineffective and it is necessary to use it really need it and it makes a huge difference to their lives.

Deadline to sign up by: 29 June 2008

Signatures: 1,028 (as of 26th August 2007)

The link is http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/ANTI-TNF/

You do NOT need to be disabled to sign this petition, the only requirement is that you are a British Citizen, so even if you are overseas you can still sign it.

There is also an article from Disabled Direct which you can read Here. It's a wonderful site for anyone with a disability and for their carers, and has loads of useful information. Quality of Life is important for anyone with any form of disability, and who knows, maybe one day you, or someone you know, will need some of this help.

As they mention on their site, there are 10.6 millon registered disabled people in the UK, so come on people, please sign this petition so that treatment for any condition is not based on cost or where you live! It's time to end the post code lottery.

This was also featured as the main item on the ITN London News and there is a short video clip of it here:
http://www.itvlocal.com/london/news/?player=LON_News_26&void=78146

Radio Interview can be heard here: http://tinyurl.com/2vd7w5

More information on Ankylosing Spondylitis: http://nass.co.uk/