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‘Life-changing’ new daily migraine pill given green light for NHS use in England

It's expected to be made available from next month.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 11th April 2024

A new migraine pill that could change the lives of thousands of sufferers nationwide has been given the green light for NHS use in England.

According to The Migraine Trust, about 10 million adults in the UK currently battle “incredibly debilitating” migraines on a regular basis – but now, thanks to new final draft guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), there could be a some fresh hope offered on the NHS in England.

Anyone who experiences at least four migraine days a month, and has tried at least three other treatments prior but has sadly found no relief, will be eligible for the once-daily pill known as Atogepant (sold under the brand name Aquipta).

NICE said this means upwards of 170,000 migraine sufferers will have more treatment options.

A ‘life-changing’ new daily migraine pill has been given the green light for NHS use in England / Credit: Nikodash | Adrian Swancar (via Unsplash)

The new guidance for England from NICE comes after Atogepant was recommended for use in Scotland by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) in October last year, and also follows clinical trials that suggested the drug was effective in some adults.

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Atogepant is designed to be taken daily to prevent both chronic migraines, which occur more than 15 times a month, as well as episodic migraines that occur between four and 15 times a month, and at first, it will only be available from specialist doctors in secondary care settings, rather than from GPs.

“Migraines affect millions of people in this country, and this new treatment will help prevent recurring migraine attacks when other medicines have failed,” commented health minister, Andrew Stephenson, as the drug was given the green light this week.

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Atogepant is expected to be made available from next month / Credit: Brett Jordan (via Unsplash)

“It will allow more people whose daily life is affected by this painful, debilitating condition to manage their migraines more effectively and to live their lives to the fullest.”

Rob Music, who is the chief executive of The Migraine Trust, says he wants the rollout of Atogepant in England to be “swift”.

He explained: “It is positive to see even more therapies emerging for people with migraines, as many still rely on treatments developed for other conditions, and we now need to ensure access is swift, so that migraine patients can benefit from them as quickly as possible.”

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Atogepant is expected to be made available on the NHS in England from next month, providing there are no appeals against NICE’s final draft guidance.

Featured Image – EPR

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A rare giant otter has been born at Chester Zoo and its arrival could help save a species

Danny Jones Danny Jones Rare male otter arrives at Chester Zoo

More happy news over at Chester Zoo as a rare giant otter has just arrived at the best zoo in the UK and, surprise, surprise, he’s a cutey.

The rare species, originally from the Guyanas to Central-North Argentina and which once spread across other parts of South America, is currently at risk of going extinct altogether but the addition of this new male otter could help bring it back from the brink.

Arriving at the end of April, this fine young fellow has now joined his new female partner, Tibiri, as part of a crucial international conservation breeding programme.

Manchester, meet Manú, Chester Zoo‘s newest and most camera-ready animal.

Manú, the rare and giant male otter, makes his Chester Zoo debut.

Zookeepers have now released the first heartwarming images of the otters meeting for the very first time, where they can be seen swimming and playing together and, judging by how loud and vocal the pair have been, it looks like they’re already getting on like a house on fire.

With no more than 5,000 giant otters remaining across the whole of South America, conservationists are hopeful the duo will go on to have pups in the near future.

The decline in numbers is a result of mass-scale deforestation, water pollution and illegal hunting in the region. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listed the species as endangered back in 2020 and it’s now the job of places like Chester and other Zoos to stop them from going extinct.

Three-year-old Manú – who travelled all the way from Budapest Zoo in Hungary – is said to have been genetically matched with Tibiri, 8, giving the species the best possible chance at a more secure future.

global giant otter population
otters at chester zoo
A handsome boy already cosying up to his new mate. (Credit: Chester Zoo)

The species, which can grow up to nearly two metres in length and 30kg in weight (the largest of all otter species, as the name would suggest) has sadly already been declared extinct in Uruguay and its ancestral home of Argentina. There are thought to be less than 5,000 left in the entire world.

But that’s where the likes of Manú and Tibir come in: they could help popular future generations of the giant otter and hopefully see them return to lakes, rivers and wetlands in numbers one day.

Speaking on the arrival, Chester Zoo Carnivore Keeper, Anna Starkey, said: “Since arriving at the zoo only a few days ago, Manú has settled into his new surroundings very quickly… So far we’ve seen really positive signs between the two and they can be heard using a range of vocalisations while playfully swimming together, which shows us that they’ve instantly bonded.

“[They’re] apex predators in the South American ecosystems and play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of freshwater habitats. They do this by hunting prey populations, keeping the health and biodiversity of their environments in check. But sadly, the wild population feel enormous pressures from pollution and mass deforestation which continue to threaten their survival altogether.”

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clips of otters eating
They’re nicknamed ‘river wolves’ for their razor-sharp teeth, muscular bodies and skilled hunting. (Credit: Supplied)

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Each giant otter typically has unique markings of white or cream fur on their throat and under their chin, which allows every individual to be identified by experts.

Unusually though, Manú does not have any markings and his throat is chestnut brown, which makes him easily identifiable from his new lady friend.

Starkey added: “It will now be the role of conservation zoos like ours to play a pivotal role in turning the tide and safeguarding their future on the planet.”

Welcome to the North West, Manú.

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Featured Images — Chester Zoo

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The UK looks set for a ’30°C heatwave’ this summer, according to weather expert

Danny Jones Danny Jones UK set for 30C heatwave this summer

It’s been a bit of an up-and-down spring but the warm weather is finally starting to arrive here in Manchester, with temperatures reaching up to 21°C this week and the summery vibes only set to increase over the next month or so as meteorologists are predicting a 30°C heatwave soon enough.

March onwards has been a pure mix of blustery winds, grey skies and flashes of rainfall, with just a few glimpses of sun peeking through and the thermometer has still been struggling to get into double digits – until now anyway.

As we leave April behind, the forecast across the UK is looking a lot brighter and according to the likes of the Met Office, those numbers are going to keep creeping as we head deeper into the month.

In fact, some experts are predicting that Britain could be set for a heatwave with temperatures of 30°C and over in just over a month’s time. It better bloody hurry up, put it that way.

@the.manc What this week’s Manchester weather has been like in a nutshell 🤣 #manchester #weather #viral #trending #april @Tilly Young ♬ original sound – skdjhebe

According to Jim Dale, Senior Meteorologist at British Weather Services, while much of May will be a bit of a mixed bag, “towards the latter stage and into June and July… we will see climbing temperatures well into the 30s in the prone areas.”

As reported by Birmingham Live, while Dale didn’t detail the kind of heat Manchester can expect, specifically, the indication is that the region is beginning to dry and the country as a whole is now heading “in the right direction”.

Although it likely won’t be until the very tail end of May that we start to see the summer as we know rolling in, the trends around the continent are suggesting positive signs, adding that “a lot of Europe is getting the scorching hot temperatures” of late.

The Met Office’s Tom Morgan also warned The Guardian that we get anything close to a heatwave this month, so we’ll have to be patient and wait for the turn come June time, especially up North.

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While we did enjoy a heatwave in September of last year, hitting a top end of 33.5°C, the chances of the country challenging the most recent temperature record sat back in 2022 (40.3°C in July 2023) are still looking slim.

April has been described as a “month of two halves” overall and let’s just say we’re looking forward to a strong showing this May.

Where in Greater Manchester are you most looking forward to heading when summer finally arrives?

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — The Manc Group/Dunk (via Flickr)

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