Women in Scotland suffering from endometriosis now have access to a new treatment option following the Scottish Medicines Consortium’s (SMC) acceptance of linzagolix with add-back therapy (ABT). The once-daily pill is approved for adult women of reproductive age who have previously undergone medical or surgical treatment for the condition.
The decision aligns NHS Scotland with the rest of the UK, where linzagolix has already been approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for use in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Endometriosis affects around one in ten women of reproductive age in the UK and can cause chronic pelvic pain, painful menstruation and significant impacts on quality of life.
Dr Lucky Saraswat, Consultant Gynaecologist and Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Aberdeen, explained: “As the need for more individualised approaches to endometriosis management becomes increasingly clear, the availability of an additional therapeutic option represents an important advance. It is encouraging to see women in Scotland gaining access to new treatment options, and I hope ongoing research will continue to broaden the choices available.”
Sandy Lindsey, UK General Manager at Theramex, said: “There are too many women who are living with pain due to their endometriosis. With the SMC approval of linzagolix we can now offer an additional treatment option to women in Scotland, empowering clinicians and patients with more choices. This approval by the SMC is an important step on a much longer journey towards access to improved treatment for endometriosis across the UK.”
Emma Cox, Chief Executive at Endometriosis UK, added: “Endometriosis UK welcomes the addition of Linzagolix to the range of approved treatments for endometriosis in Scotland. It’s vital patients are able to make informed choices about what treatment options are right for them.”
