‘Life-changing’ new daily migraine pill given green light for NHS use in England
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adults in the UK currently battle “incredibly debilitating” migraines on a regular basis – but now, thanks to new final draft guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), there could be a some fresh hope offered on the NHS in England.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.
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.
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.
“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to be made available on the NHS in England from next month, providing there are no appeals against NICE’s final draft guidance.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