Blitz Bureau
THE first daily pill for treating endometriosis symptoms has been approved for use on the NHS in England – but only for patients who have tried all other options, reported BBC.
Endometriosis affects 1.5 million women in the UK, causing pain and extreme tiredness as a result of tissue similar to the womb lining growing elsewhere in the body. The combination drug, relugolix–estradiol–norethisterone (also known as relugolix combination therapy or Ryeqo), is the first longterm daily pill licensed to treat endometriosis.
The new tablet has been approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and, unlike current injectable treatments, it can be taken at home. The charity Endometriosis UK said the pill gives patients more choice, but will help only a relatively small number of people. The new combination therapy pill will cost £72 for a 28-day supply, NICE said.
It works by blocking specific hormones that contribute to the condition, while also providing replacement hormones that are needed. It will only be available on the NHS for people who have already tried all other medical and surgical treatments and found they did not help, NICE said – equivalent to 1,000 women a year.
This includes treatments such as hormonal contraceptives and intrauterine delivery systems. Helen Knight, director of medicines evaluation at NICE, said it marked “a potential step-change in how we manage endometriosis, putting control back in patients’ hands while ensuring value for the taxpayer”.
