New daily endometriosis pill approved for NHS use

The new endometriosis treatment, which combines all needed hormones, is set to help over 1,000 women per year across the UK.

Following approval from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), a new endometriosis pill, that could transform treatment for the condition, has been approved for use on the NHS.

While offered as a ‘last resort’, NICE stated that the treatment will be available “through routine NHS commissioning for patients for whom medical or surgical treatment for endometriosis has failed”.

Named relugolix–estradiol–norethisterone, the tablet functions by blocking specific hormones that contribute to endometriosis, while also providing necessary hormone replacement in a single daily pill.

The tablet that is claimed to start working “more quickly than injectable alternatives”, can now be taken at home, rather than clinics, enhancing autonomy within female medications.

Helen Knight, the director of medicines evaluation at NICE, said: “This new treatment marks a potential step-change in how we manage endometriosis, putting control back in patients’ hands while ensuring value for the taxpayer”.

Endometriosis, which currently faces diagnostic delays of approximately nine years, is a condition in which cells similar to those in the lining of the uterus grow in other parts of the body, causing pain and discomfort.

Although regarded as a chronic condition, the new treatment is set to transform how it is managed.

NICE stated that the announcement follows “an earlier negative recommendation” after new evidence that addressed initial questions about the treatment’s effectiveness and value for money were established.