August 2023 decisions news release
The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC), which advises on newly-licensed medicines for use by NHSScotland, has today (Monday, August 7) published advice on five medicines.
Icosapent ethyl (Vazkepa®) was accepted as a treatment to reduce the risk of stroke or heart attack in patients who are at high risk, are on statins and have raised triglycerides (a type of fat that circulates in the blood).
Tezepelumab (Tezspire®) was accepted for the treatment of severe asthma. It is used as an add-on treatment for patients with severe asthma that is not well-controlled despite usual treatment.
Dapagliflozin (Forxiga®) was accepted for the treatment of chronic heart failure. It was previously accepted for patients with heart failure and a reduced ejection fraction, which happens when the muscle of the left ventricle is not pumping normally. This advice extends the use of dapagliflozin to patients who have symptoms of heart failure and a preserved ejection fraction. This happens when the heart pumps normally but is too stiff to fill properly.
The committee was unable to accept selumetinib (Koselugo®) for the treatment of plexiform neurofibromas, a type of benign tumour that grows along nerves, in children with a rare condition called neurofibromatosis 1(NF1) as there was uncertainty around its cost-effectiveness.
It was also unable to accept baricitinib (Olumiant®) for the treatment of severe alopecia areata, a condition which causes hair loss on the scalp and other parts of the body as there was uncertainty around its cost-effectiveness in relation to its health benefits.
SMC Chair, Dr Scott Muir, said: We are very pleased to be able to accept new medicines for patients with heart disease or asthma. These medicines may be useful for patients whose disease is not well managed with the currently available treatments.
“The evidence presented for selumetinib and baricitinib was not strong enough to satisfy the committee that these medicines should be available routinely in NHSScotland.
“We would welcome resubmissions for these medicines once the companies have had an opportunity to address the uncertainties highlighted by the committee.”