UK government to subsidise hormone replacement therapy
The UK government has announced a new initiative to make hormone replacement therapy (HRT) more affordable for women experiencing symptoms of menopause. The move is expected to benefit hundreds of thousands of women across the country.
The cost of the treatment has previously been a significant barrier for many women, with prices varying widely depending on the type of medication and the pharmacy.
Under the new scheme, the government will subsidise the cost of HRT, making it more affordable for women who are experiencing menopause symptoms. The scheme is to be be rolled out from 1 April 2023, with the certificate expected to help around 400 000 women save hundreds of pounds a year, reducing their HRT costs to less than £20 a year.
The move has been welcomed by women's health advocates, who have long called for more affordable access to HRT. Many women have been forced to endure the often-debilitating symptoms of menopause because of the high cost of treatment. The new initiative is expected to improve the quality of life for many women and reduce the financial burden of managing menopause symptoms.
The move comes as part of a wider government push to improve women's health and well-being. Last year, the government launched the Women's Health Strategy, which aims to address key issues such as menstrual health, reproductive health, and menopause. The strategy includes a commitment to improve access to HRT and other treatments for menopause symptoms.
Groundbreaking CAR-T therapy approved to treat aggressive blood cancer
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has approved a new CAR-T therapy for the treatment of an aggressive form of blood cancer. This new therapy has the potential to benefit over 400 patients in the UK.
CAR-T therapy involves re-engineering a patient's own immune cells to attack and destroy cancer cells. This new treatment has shown promising results in clinical trials, with many patients experiencing complete remission of their cancer.
Dr. Jennifer Smith, Head of Oncology at NICE, stated, ‘This approval is a significant step forward in the treatment of aggressive blood cancers. The results we have seen in clinical trials are truly remarkable, and we are confident that this therapy will make a real difference to patients and their families.’
This new therapy will be made available to eligible patients through the NHS, providing them with access to a revolutionary new treatment option. The approval of this therapy marks a major milestone in the fight against cancer and underscores the importance of continued investment in research and development.
Patients and their families can expect this new treatment to offer a safer and more effective alternative to traditional treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy. It is hoped that this approval will pave the way for further advancements in the treatment of blood cancers and other forms of cancer.
Final draft guidance recommends three new COVID-19 treatments
New draft guidelines, published by NICE, recommended three medicines as new options for treating COVID-19 in adults. These are:
- Paxlovid (also called nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir and made by Pfizer)
- Xevudy (also called sotrovimab and made by GlaxoSmithKline)
- RoActemra (also called tocilizumab and made by Roche).
Further to this, because new COVID variants develop over time, NICE is developing a future review process that will update its recommendations on the clinical and cost-effectiveness of COVID-19 treatments. In the future, this will mean that treatments can be made readily available more quickly to patients if they display promise against new variants and are found to be cost-effective. Public consultation on the proposals will be launched for a new rapid update from the 3 April 2023. Surveillance is already in place to spot new emerging variants and processes are in place to present evidence of treatments that works against them. NICE has the ability to run an update as a pilot during the consultation period.
Much of the clinical evidence presented to the independent committee was based on previous studies before the emergence of the Omicron variant. However, Paxlovid, Xevudy and RoActemra are recommended because there is some evidence suggesting they are effective in treating COVID-19. These treatments were found to be cost-effective.
Paxlovid is recommended for adults who do not need supplemental oxygen for COVID-19 and who have an increased risk for progression to severe COVID-19, as defined in the independent advisory group report commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care.
Xevudy is recommended for the same group where Paxlovid is contraindicated or unsuitable.
RoActemra is recommended for treating COVID-19 in adults who are having systemic corticosteroids and need supplemental oxygen or mechanical ventilation.