Scotland backs Aimovig for migraine after NICE says no

People suffering from severe migraines in Scotland will be able to get treatment with Amgen and Novartis’ Aimovig if they fail other therapies, according to the country’s cost-effectiveness agency for medicines. The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has given its backing to routine use of the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) inhibitor throughout NHS Scotland for people who have at least four migraine days per month, and for whom at least three prior preventive treatments have failed. The verdict comes a few weeks after Aimovig (erenumab) was turned down for the same indication in draft guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in England, once again threatening a disparity in access to a new medicine in different areas of the UK.
The NICE appraisal of Aimovig is still ongoing, however, with final guidance expected to be published in the second quarter. “The high frequency and severity of migraine symptoms can be extremely debilitating and may have a substantial impact on day-to-day and work related activities,” said the SMC in its advice on the drug.