LONDON, September 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Following Prime Minister Gordon Brown's speech today at the Labour party conference, the MS Society welcomes news of a commitment to end prescription charges for people with long-term conditions.

Speaking at the conference in Manchester, Mr Gordon Brown said: "....so our plan is next year to abolish all prescription charges for everyone with cancer. And this is not the limit of our commitment to a fair NHS. In the long term, the NHS generates cash savings in its budget we will plough savings back into abolishing charges for all patients with long-term conditions."

This commitment comes as promising news to the 85,000 people in the UK with multiple sclerosis - a neurological condition for which there is no cure and few effective treatments. Drugs available are used to treat symptoms such as pain, fatigue and mobility problems, but at GBP7.10 per prescription people with MS on low incomes are struggling to pay for the drugs they need.

Simon Gillespie, chief executive of the MS Society, said: "This is great news for people with multiple sclerosis, especially given the current economic climate. The financial burden of paying for drugs is the last thing you need when you have a condition like MS and we have been campaigning for more than a year to persuade the Government to take action.

"We will be very keen to find out how and when this is going to happen - the sooner, the better."

For media enquiries please contact the MS Society Press Office on +44(0)20-8438-0782, or the out of hours duty press officer on +44(0)7909-851401