First daily pill for endometriosis approved for NHS use
Today we've recommended the first long-term daily pill to treat endometriosis that could transform how this painful condition is managed.
Around 1,000 women per year with endometriosis could benefit from this new treatment that:
Starts working more quickly than injectable alternatives
Can be taken at home rather than at clinics
Combines all needed hormones in one pill
Returns hormone levels to normal faster when stopped
The treatment, called relugolix–estradiol–norethisterone (also known as relugolix combination therapy or Ryeqo), works by blocking specific hormones that contribute to endometriosis, while also providing necessary hormone replacement in a single daily tablet.
This new treatment marks a potential step-change in how we manage endometriosis, putting control back in patients' hands while ensuring value for the taxpayer.
Endometriosis affects around 1.5 million women in the UK, causing chronic pain and fatigue when tissue similar to the womb lining grows elsewhere in the body. Despite its widespread impact, diagnosis typically takes 9 years from when symptoms first appear.
During the evaluation process, patient experts highlighted the importance of having additional treatment options that can be taken at home, giving people more autonomy in managing their condition.
"Instead of travelling to clinics for injections, there is now a daily tablet that can be taken at home," Helen Knight added. "The treatment can also be stopped and started more easily, which is particularly important for those planning to have children and for managing side effects."
The treatment will be available through routine NHS commissioning for patients for whom medical or surgical treatment for endometriosis has failed.
Today's recommendation follows an earlier negative recommendation and comes after the company provided new evidence that addressed our initial questions about the treatment's effectiveness and value for money.