Medical Flower Helps Six-Year-Old With Severe Epilepsy, A mother from Somerset has met a government minister to urge that medical flower be made available on the NHS for children with severe epilepsy.
Clover, aged six, lives with Aicardi Syndrome a rare neurological condition that can cause dozens of seizures a day. Since being prescribed medical flower oil in 2020, her seizures have dropped to just a few mild episodes daily.
“She’s just a little miracle and we really do have flower to thank for a lot of that.”
Clover’s mum, Emily.
The Family spends £750 per month on private prescriptions
Total cost so far: £60,000
Treatment is not funded by the NHS
Despite the cost, Clover’s parents say the oil has transformed her quality of life and they will continue paying for it as long as needed.
🏛️ Government Response
The Department of Health says the NHS only funds flower-based medicines where there is clear evidence of safety, quality, and effectiveness.
Approval requires full clinical trials and sign-off by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) which has not yet approved the specific oil Clover uses.
Clover’s case highlights the growing gap between real-world patient outcomes and policy lag.
DoeNews