What has SMC said?
The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has accepted linzagolix, for the treatment of moderate to severe symptoms of uterine fibroids in women of reproductive age. Uterine fibroids are non-cancerous growths that develop in or around the womb.
SMC has accepted linzagolix for restricted use. The restriction means that linzagolix is accepted to treat the patients described above, when treatments that would usually be used initially (such as tranexamic acid, hormonal contraceptives and intrauterine devices) have not worked or cannot be used.
This document summarises the SMC decision and what it means for patients.
You can find more detailed information about the SMC assessment of linzagolix by looking at the SMC Detailed Advice Document (SMC2631).
What does SMC’s decision mean for patients?
Linzagolix 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 in this booklet called: 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: htps://www.scottishmedicines.org.uk/how-we-decide/
More information and support
Further information, advice and support for patients with uterine fibroids and their families and carers can be found through the NHS inform website:
You can find out more about linzagolix (Yselty®) in the Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) by searching for the medicine name on the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) website.