Polycystic ovary syndrome: metformin in women not planning pregnancy

Prescribing metformin

If a prescriber wants to use an unlicensed or off-label medicine, they must follow their professional guide, for example for doctors the General Medical Council's good practice guidelines. These include giving information about the treatment and discussing the possible benefits and harms so that the patient has enough information to decide whether or not to have the treatment. This is called giving informed consent.

The full version of the summary aimed at healthcare professionals is available at http://publications.nice.org.uk/esuom6-polycystic-ovary-syndrome-metformin-in-women-not-planning-pregnancy-esuom6. The summary for healthcare professionals does not contain recommendations from NICE on whether the medicine should be used.

If your doctor is suggesting that you might try metformin for PCOS, you might like to ask some of the questions below.