National Institute for Health and Care Excellence

Medicated wafer to be approved for the treatment of frequent migraines on the NHS

Rimegepant will be available on the NHS for patients who have tried at least 3 other preventative therapies, and have at least 4 and fewer than 15 migraine attacks per month.…

PJ view: a pharmacogenomic revolution is gathering pace

There has been rapid progress in the use of pharmacogenomics in patient care over the past 18 months — and it appears to be just the start.…

NICE to recommend genetic testing before prescribing clopidogrel

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has said genetic testing before initiating clopidogrel is a cost-effective use of NHS resources for patients at risk of stroke.…

NICE COVID-19 management guidelines are leaving hospitals ‘in limbo’

Conditional recommendations for COVID-19 treatments has created a “gap between guideline recommendations and current practice”, according to an expert.…

NICE says more evidence needed for newer UTI point-of-care tests

Several newer point-of-care tests were not recommended in latest guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, in which it concluded that more research needs to be carried out on their accuracy.…

Thousands of NHS patients with prostate or breast cancer eligible for new targeted treatment

NHS England says around 800 people in England could be eligible for olaparib treatment each year.…

NICE approves new drug for chronic kidney disease and diabetes 

Results from a phase III study of more than 5,000 adults suggested that finerenone improved kidney function and helped slow the worsening of chronic kidney disease.…

NICE confirms recommendation for NHS use of three COVID-19 treatments

Final guidance published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommends nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir, sotrovimab and tocilizumab for COVID-19.…

Four point-of-care tests for UTIs ‘show promise’, says NICE in early guidance

NICE said it needs more data on the accuracy of the tests in detecting and identifying bacteria before it can recommend them for use in the NHS.…

Weight loss drug semaglutide will ‘soon’ be available to eligible patients, says NICE

Trial results showed that participants taking semaglutide lost an average of 12% more of their body weight compared with placebo.…