What has SMC said?
Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has accepted tirzepatide, used alongside diet and exercise, to treat adults with type 2 diabetes which is not well controlled. It can be used:
- Alongside other medicines for treating type 2 diabetes.
SMC has accepted tirzepatide for restricted use. The restriction means that tirzepatide can be used in the patients described above, alongside other medicines used to treat diabetes when a type of medicine called a GLP-1 agonist would be considered.
This document summarises the SMC decision and what it means for patients.
You can find more detailed information about the SMC assessment of tirzepatide by looking at the SMC Detailed Advice Document (SMC2633).
What does SMC’s decision mean for patients?
Tirzepatide 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.
- Information from patient groups about 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
The organisation below can provide more information and support for people with diabetes and their families. SMC is not responsible for the content of any information provided by external organisations.
Diabetes UK
https://www.diabetes.org.uk 0345 123 2399
You can find out more about tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) in the Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) by searching for the medicine name on the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) website.