Petition · Department of Health and Social Care
Add Crohn’s & Colitis to the NHS prescription exemption list
Open for signatures
1,081 signatures
What the petition asks
Add Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis (IBD) to the Medical Exemption Certificate list in England so people with lifelong inflammatory bowel disease can receive free NHS prescriptions for essential ongoing medication.
Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis are lifelong, incurable autoimmune conditions requiring ongoing medication to prevent severe flare-ups, hospitalisation and surgery. Stopping treatment due to cost puts patients at risk and increases NHS burden. Despite this, IBD is not on the exemption list, which has not been meaningfully updated since 1968. It should reflect modern medical understanding and protect patients from financial barriers to essential care.
Timeline
| 30 Mar 2026 | Petition opened for signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
1,081
Status
Open for signatures
Department
Department of Health and Social Care
Opened
30 Mar 2026
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 26 Jul 2026.