The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have revealed the tablet will be able to help around 1,000 women a year who live with the condition.
Previously NICE rejected the medication, which is otherwise known as relugolix-estradiol-norethisterone. However, today (Thursday 13th March) the medical watchdog have revealed it’s been approved for use on the NHS across England.
The ‘first-of-its-kind’ pill works by blocking the specific hormones that contribute to endometriosis while providing necessary hormone replacement. What’s more, the medication can be taken at home, eliminating the need for regular trips to clinics for injections.
The injections currently used to treat endometriosis initially worsen symptoms whereas the new pill is said to work quicker.
‘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,’ Helen Knight, the Director of Medicine Evaluation at NICE said. ‘Instead of travelling to clinics for injections, there is now a daily tablet that can be taken at home. 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.’
To give context, endometriosis is an illness where tissue similar to the womb lining grows outside of the uterus, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes. The condition can affect fertility and other pelvic organs.
Symptoms include severe pain during periods, urination, sex and bowel movements. The condition is thought to affect around one in 10 women of a reproductive age.
Against this backdrop, a spokesperson from Endometriosis UK said the decision by NICE is much needed and hopes that eventually the treatment will become available across the whole UK.
‘Endometriosis UK believes that women and those assigned female at birth in the UK should be able to choose the right treatment and management options for them,’ they said. ‘We recommend that treatment decisions are always made in partnership with the individual and their medical practitioner. There are far too few options available due to the historic lack of research into endometriosis.’
News of the new treatment has come during Endometriosis Awareness Month 2025.
Photo by Gayatri Malhotra via UnSplash
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