1 Recommendations

1.1 Pirfenidone is recommended as an option for treating idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in adults only if:

  • the person has a forced vital capacity (FVC) between 50% and 80% predicted

  • the company provides pirfenidone with the discount agreed in the patient access scheme and

  • treatment is stopped if there is evidence of disease progression (an absolute decline of 10% or more in predicted FVC within any 12‑month period).

1.2 This recommendation is not intended to affect treatment with pirfenidone that was started in the NHS before this guidance was published. People having treatment outside this recommendation may continue without change to the funding arrangements in place for them before this guidance was published, until they and their NHS clinician consider it appropriate to stop.