A Government decision to ignore health watchdogs' guidance and provide expensive "life changing" drugs on the NHS for Multiple Sclerosis sufferers in Wandsworth and Merton has prompted a heated debate.

While some with the chronic wasting disease, which attacks the nervous system, will benefit, the MS Society's south London branches want Merton Sutton and Wandsworth health authority (MSW) to have a more holistic approach by providing MS nurses.

Under new legislation, MS patients can receive the drugs beta interferon and glatiramer acetate if they have not yet reached the secondary progressive stage and if their neurologist feels they will benefit from them.

This means only those in the relapsing and remitting stage will be eligible. To qualify for the drugs costing up to £10,000 per patient one of the requirements is the ability to walk 10 metres.

But for many people who would have qualified, the disease is now too advanced for the drugs to have any effect.

MS Society south London co-ordinator Jack Wood said while the drugs were good for some, everybody could benefit from the provision of MS nurses.

"There are no MS nurses for patients in Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth. We want MS nurses to be available to all the community. But it always comes down to funding."

Nurses are currently only provided to sufferers who receive medication with care supplied by drug companies as part of a package. Mr Wood is examining the possibility of providing MS nurses at Atkinson Morley's Hospital, whose wages could be paid through contributions from the Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth branches and from MSW.

Watchdog, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE), took nearly three years to advise against the drug being made available on the NHS.

With potentially hundreds of new patients being eligible for the drugs and a Department of Health decision not to provide extra funds, there are fears that MSW may feel the strain.

But a spokesman said the authority was confident there will be no strain on resources because funds have been allocated for the drugs.

"We were already supplying the drugs through the NHS to about 40 people but this development will mean we can start to eliminate waiting lists."

Although experts say the beta interferon slows down the degenerative disease and relieves the effects, MSW's principle pharmaceutical advisor added: "The drug will not work for everyone and it is not without side effects."

Under the new scheme, patients' progress will be closely monitored and the price of drugs to the NHS reduced if agreed targets are not with the manufacturer.