SMC accepts medicines and eye drops for use

The Scottish Medicines Consortium approved drugs for skin cancer, relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) and also accepted eye drops for children and teenagers suffering from a rare condition.

The drug nivolumab was accepted for advanced melanoma. Currently at this stage of the condition, patients have routine checks and scans at clinic but there is no active treatment available.

A patient group submission MASSCOT that supports those with melanoma and their carers told SMC that affected patients may have a reasonable quality of life at the advanced stage but can be constantly worried about what will happen next.

The SMC say nivolumab provides the opportunity of extended time until the disease returns, which may in turn offer patients psychological reassurance.

Ocrelizumab (Ocrevus) was accepted for treatment of relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis. MS is an inflammatory disease of the nervous system that causes symptoms such as weakness, difficulty walking and problems with vision. Those with relapsing remitting MS experience periods when symptoms flare up (relapsing) followed by periods of good or complete recovery (remitting). Ocrelizumab offers another disease modifying therapy treatment option that may reduce both the rate of relapses and the progression of disability.

The committee also accepted ciclosporin (Verkazia) eye drops for severe vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) in children and teenagers. VKC is a rare, chronic inflammatory allergic condition that affects the eye and mostly occurs seasonally, although in some patients symptoms can recur or persist all year round.