A much sought-after hormone replacement therapy for women in menopause is to be reconsidered for use in Scotland.
The Scottish Government has "encouraged" the manufacturer of Utrogestan to resubmit its medicine for approval to the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC).
They have been in discussion with the company since earlier this year.
Utrogestan is viewed by experts as the safest HRT drug for women but a documentary by TV presenter Davina McCall this week has highlighted it's often difficult for doctors to prescribe on cost grounds.
On the Channel 4 programme, 'Sex, Myths and the Menopause', which was broadcast on Monday night, Ms McCall spoke to doctors about the benefits of Utrogestan.
One doctor, Kilmarnock GP Dr Helen Smith, described it as "a good, safe medicine to use".
However, when she tried to prescribe it, the NHS computer system warned that the medicine was not approved for use and alternatives should be found.
Utrogestan was rejected for general use in 2009 by SMC, citing it was not "value for money" for the NHS. Currently, it is only available on a case-by-case basis, the BBC reports.
'Sex, Myths and the Menopause' claimed that it cost £18 per year, per woman, more than the next less expensive drug.
Across the UK, the total number of prescriptions for HRT has risen by around a third in the past few years.
Close to 400,000 prescriptions issued in Scotland alone in 2020 - but experts warn supply of some of the drugs has failed to keep up with demand.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that women experiencing the menopause receive equitable access to medicines.
"A range of treatment options are available on the NHS in Scotland, without any charge for prescription, and there is a specialist menopause service in every mainland health board and support in place for the island health boards.
“We have encouraged the manufacturer of Utrogestan ® to resubmit its medicine to the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC), so that it can be considered for routine access within NHS Scotland, and we understand that the manufacturer is in the process of confirming timescales for a resubmission.
"We have been in discussions with the company regarding their resubmission plans since early this year.
“In the meantime, where licensed medicines, such as Utrogestan ® , are not routinely available on the NHS, because they have not been approved by the SMC, clinicians can still prescribe them on an case-by-case basis, through the Scottish Government’s Peer Approved Clinical System (PACS) Tier Two process.”
