Petition · past parliament
Change the system so that we can easily get access to anti-parasitic medicine.
Rejected
21 signatures
What the petition asks
British residents only have access to mebendazole, which is inadequate for strongyloides & hookworm (which can be fatal). According to experts, medicine should be prescribed on the basis of travel history & symptoms, but British doctors are refusing to give medicine without a clinical test result.
https://jcp.bmj.com/content/jclinpath/39/4/366.full.pdf
Strongyloides stercoralis can be fatal to the non-immunosuppressed (see pdf). NHS only prescribe medicine if patient has HIV etc.
Dr CF Figueira (Brazil) says low stomach acid causes fatal cases. Doctors in UK don't test stomach acid.
Dr Paul Pottinger (University of Washington US) says the serology test is unreliable. British doctors think it's 100% reliable.
S S is spread via skin contact, textiles & shower rooms (Prof Hilary Hurd).
Strongyloides stercoralis can be fatal to the non-immunosuppressed (see pdf). NHS only prescribe medicine if patient has HIV etc.
Dr CF Figueira (Brazil) says low stomach acid causes fatal cases. Doctors in UK don't test stomach acid.
Dr Paul Pottinger (University of Washington US) says the serology test is unreliable. British doctors think it's 100% reliable.
S S is spread via skin contact, textiles & shower rooms (Prof Hilary Hurd).
Why it was rejected
It was not clear what the petition asked the UK Government or Parliament to do.
Petitions need to call on the UK Government or Parliament to take a specific action.
We understand you're concerned about access to anti-parasitic medicines, but we're not sure exactly what you'd like the Government or Parliament to do. In particular, we're not exactly sure how you'd like to change the system or which medicines you want to be made more readily available.
You could start a new petition explaining clearly what you would like the Government or Parliament to do. For example, a petition calling for increased funding for a particular medicine/s on the NHS.
We understand you're concerned about access to anti-parasitic medicines, but we're not sure exactly what you'd like the Government or Parliament to do. In particular, we're not exactly sure how you'd like to change the system or which medicines you want to be made more readily available.
You could start a new petition explaining clearly what you would like the Government or Parliament to do. For example, a petition calling for increased funding for a particular medicine/s on the NHS.
Timeline
| 18 Jul 2019 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 1 Aug 2019 | Rejected by the Petitions Committee |
Key facts
Signatures
21
Status
Rejected
Rejected
1 Aug 2019
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.