Parents whose sons are losing the ability to walk have described the "nightmare" battle they face with the NHS to access a free drug.The medicine givinostat can slow progress of Duchenne muscular dystrophy - keeping children on their feet for longer - and is being offered free by a drug firm while it goes through the process of NHS approval.However, only some NHS trusts across the UK, and few in England, are giving the drug despite it being part of an early access programme since November.

Parents whose sons are losing the ability to walk have described the "nightmare" battle they face with the NHS to access a free drug.The medicine givinostat can slow progress of Duchenne muscular dystrophy - keeping children on their feet for longer - and is being offered free by a drug firm while it goes through the process of NHS approval.However, only some NHS trusts across the UK, and few in England, are giving the drug despite it being part of an early access programme since November.