Current status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Jenni Minto on 17 December 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to ensure that patients with cholangiocarcinoma can access the genomic testing needed to access Scottish Medicines Consortium approved precision therapies.
I am pleased to announce that the Scottish Government will support the initial implementation of much-needed testing for cholangiocarcinoma, with funding to be released in December and reassurance from NHS National Services Division (NSD), the national commissioner of genomic testing in NHS Scotland, that this will be available to patients across Scotland from February 2026.
This is a single test for a relatively rare form of cancer. However, I want to assure you that the Scottish Government is fully committed to improving access to the full range of genomic testing needed and to building the foundations required to allow Scotland to take full advantage of developments in genomic medicine, including data and digital infrastructure and skilled workforce requirements. This is part of our long-term approach to deliver bold and ambitious action to reform and renew our health and care systems in Scotland within a fiscal position that remains extremely challenging.