A drug for treating hot flushes and night sweats during the menopause is now available on the NHS in England when HRT (hormone replacement therapy) isn’t suitable.<\/p>\n
The non-hormonal treatment, called Veoza, is a daily pill which blocks nerve pathways in the brain that trigger the symptoms.<\/p>\n
Menopausal hot flushes and night sweats can have a major impact on the quality of life of women in their 40s and 50s and affect their wellbeing, healthcare experts say.<\/p>\n
Around 500,000 women could benefit from the drug, particularly those who cannot use HRT because of underlying health conditions, whose options up until now have been limited.<\/p>\n
The menopause – and the years leading up to it – can affect women’s daily life in many different ways.<\/p>\n
Falling levels of oestrogen in the body have a knock-on effect on the brain, on periods, skin, muscles and emotions.<\/p>\n
Hot flushes and night sweats are some of the most common symptoms experienced. They can disturb sleep and concentration, while also affecting relationships and the ability to work.<\/p>\n
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is available to treat symptoms in the form of tablets, patches and gels – but there have been few non-hormonal options available to date.<\/p>\n
Veoza, also known as fezolinetant, is an important additional option, says Helen Knight, director of medicines evaluation at NICE – the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence – which provides guidance on how to improve healthcare.<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0For those who are unable to take HRT for varying reasons, options have historically been limited, and we have heard clearly from patients how difficult that can be,\u00a0\u00bb she said.<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0The evidence shows fezolinetant can meaningfully reduce symptoms, and was found to be cost effective, offering value for the taxpayer.<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0This decision will give much-needed relief to those for whom HRT is unsuitable.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n
The daily pill Veoza was approved in 2023 – but has only now been recommended for treating moderate to severe symptoms of menopausal hot flushes and night sweats on the NHS, by NICE.<\/p>\n
The decision applies in England. Wales and Northern Ireland often follow the same NICE guidance, while Scotland has its own body that makes decisions on new drugs.<\/p>\n
HRT is still the first-line treatment option, NICE says, because of its clear benefits and the range of different types available, and it’s thought most women will continue to take it.<\/p>\n
Dr Sue Mann, national clinical director in women’s health for NHS England, said symptoms of menopause including hot flushes and night sweats \u00ab\u00a0can affect every part of a women’s life\u00a0\u00bb.<\/p>\n
She said the news was \u00ab\u00a0very welcome\u00a0\u00bb, especially for women who are unable to take HRT or don’t want to take it.<\/p>\n
Dr Mann said the drug could help hundreds of thousands of women experiencing menopause to manage their symptoms better and feel more in control of their health.<\/p>\n
Veoza is not suitable for everyone, however.<\/p>\n
NICE said the drug was not recommended for women with breast cancer, other oestrogen-dependent cancers or liver disease.<\/p>\n
Women who have had breast cancer in the past and have finished their treatment may be able to take it, but it would depend on their individual situation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A drug for treating hot flushes and night sweats during the menopause is now available on the NHS in England when HRT (hormone replacement therapy) isn’t suitable. The non-hormonal treatment, called Veoza, is a daily pill which blocks nerve pathways in the brain that trigger the symptoms. Menopausal hot flushes and night sweats can have […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-9879","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-uncategorized"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/placedesnations.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9879","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/placedesnations.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/placedesnations.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/placedesnations.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9879"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/placedesnations.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9879\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/placedesnations.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9879"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/placedesnations.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9879"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/placedesnations.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9879"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}