Original version

BBC Radio 4 FM

BBC Radio 4 is a radio channel that started transmitting on the 30th September 1967. It replaced BBC Home Service.

BBC Radio 4

Radio 4

Radio 4 (FM)

In Touch

Magazines & Reviews

Factual: Life Stories

Factual: Health & Wellbeing

Factual: Disability

News, views and information for people who are blind or partially sighted

BBC Radio 4 LW

In Touch: Gene therapy and Peter White with Jimmy Savile on Jim'll Fix it

Factual

01/11/2011

Gene therapy and Peter White with Jimmy Savile on Jim'll Fix it

BBC Radio 4 - In Touch, Gene therapy and Peter White with Jimmy Savile on Jim'll Fix it

Professor Robert MacLaren explains his success treating choroideremia using gene therapy.

Professor Robert MacLaren talks about the recent success at Oxford Hospital treating choroideremia using gene therapy, and Dr Tim Cave from Novartis updates us on Lucentis.

Peter White talks to Professor Robert MacLaren about his recent success treating the eye condition choroideremia using gene therapy and says he thinks it could be used to treat other more prevalent conditions such as Retinitis Pigmentosa and Macular Degeneration, in the future.
Dr Tim Cave, from Novartis explains the current position regarding the talks Novartis are having with the Dept of Health, with the aim of making the drug more widely available to people needing treatment.
He also stated that Avastin and Lucentis are two different drugs and only Lucentis is licensed for use in the eye.
When asked about the huge differential in cost of the two drugs, Dr Cave said that Lucentis was the price it is due to years of research and development, which is costly and suggested that were Avastin to become licensed, the cost of it would doubtless rise.
Grace Elson relives her letter to Jim'll Fix It, when she wrote in wanting to know what it was like to be blind.

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

In Touch

Gene therapy and Peter White with Jimmy Savile on Jim'll Fix it

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC Radio 4 FM

About BBC Radio 4