Updates: July 2021

On 10 June, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published new final guidance that has recommended several new treatment options for around 25 000 people with moderate rheumatoid arthritis who have previously not responded to conventional therapies.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an incurable chronic systemic inflammatory autoimmune disease that affects the synovial joints (such as those in the hands and feet), which become inflamed, causing pain, swelling and stiffness.

As well as these new treatment options adalimumab, etanercept and infliximab, taken with methotrexate have been recommended for use within the NHS. Adalimumab and etanercept can also be used as monotherapy when methotrexate is contraindicated or not tolerated.

Previously, NICE has recommended biological treatments only for severe rheumatoid arthritis. The guidance was reviewed because biosimilars have been available, which means that these treatments are now available to the NHS at a lower price. A biosimilar medicine is a medication that is developed to be similar to an existing biological medicine.