AN Abergavenny woman is calling on the Welsh Government to free up access to a potential life-saving drug for sufferers of Cystic Fibrosis..

Michelle Morgan (nee Teear) of Merthyr Road is spearheading the local campaign to gather support for a petition forcing The Senedd to act. Michelle’s daughter Beth, 36, who lives in Cardiff is a CF sufferer.

Michelle stated, ‘People in Wales like Beth have been waiting too long for this transformative drug. They deserve better.’

The petition states, ’Orkambi is a precision medicine that 40% of people in the UK with CF could benefit from. While conventional CF treatments target the symptoms, precision medicines tackle the underlying genetic mutations that cause the condition. Though Orkambi is not a cure, it has been found to slow decline in lung function – the most common cause of death for people with CF – by 42%.

’In July 2016, the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) recognised Orkambi as an ‘important treatment.’ They were, however, unable to recommend the drug for use within the NHS on grounds of cost effectiveness and a lack of long-term data.’

The petition demanding access to the treatment has already gained thousands of signatures but now time is running out for action as the deadline closes at midnight on New Year’s Eve.

418 people in Wales have cystic fibrosis - a life-shortening, inherited disorder. It is caused by a genetic mutation which results in the build-up of thick, sticky mucus in the lungs and other organs.