What has SMC said?
The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has accepted fezolinetant for use to treat adults with moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms (VMS) due to the menopause. VMS include hot flushes and night sweats.
SMC has accepted fezolinetant for restricted use in the patients described above. The restriction means that it should be used in patients who are not suitable for treatment with hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
This document summarises the SMC decision and what it means for patients.
You can find more detailed information about the SMC assessment of fezolinetant by looking at the SMC Detailed Advice Document (SMC2898).
What does SMC’s decision mean for patients?
Fezolinetant for use as described above is available for prescribing on the NHS in Scotland. Your healthcare professional can discuss with you if it is the right treatment for you.
You can find more information about making decisions about your treatment here: Medicines in Scotland: What’s the right treatment for me?
How does SMC make its decision?
SMC carefully considers every new medicine to make sure it benefits patients and is likely to be a good use of NHS resources.
To do this SMC studies the following:
- Evidence from the company about how well the medicine works compared with current treatments available in Scotland, in relation to how much they will cost to buy and use to treat patients.
- The potential impact of the medicine on patients and carers.
- Advice from healthcare professionals about any benefits of the new medicine compared to current treatment, along with how the new medicine is likely to be used.
When SMC assesses a medicine it takes account of the needs of all patients in NHSScotland, not only those who may be treated with the medicine.
You can find out more about how SMC decides here: https://www.scottishmedicines.org.uk/how-we-decide/
More information and support
The organisation below can provide more information and support for people experiencing symptoms due to the menopause and their families. SMC is not responsible for the content of any information provided by external organisations.
Menopause Warriors Scotland Charity
https://www.menopausewarriorsscotland.com
You can find out more about: fezolinetant (brand name: Veoza®) in the Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) by searching for the medicine name on the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) website.
https://products.mhra.gov.uk/