A 'game-changing' new drug for hot flushes has just been approved: what does this mean for UK women?

A new drug for hot flushes and night sweats has been approved for use in the UK, with availability from January 2024. 

Veoza - or fezolinetant - is a pill designed to alleviate hot flushes, one of the most disruptive menopause symptoms, by working on the brain's temperature control centre. Unlike other effective treatments, this drug is not a hormonal option, making it an alternative to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for those in need. 

With at least one in four women (over 1 million people in the UK) experiencing hot flushes in menopause, experts predict that the drug could be "game-changing" in helping to alleviate symptoms. 

The new drug for hot flushes is sold under the brand name Veoza. It's a non-hormonal drug that works to prevent hot flushes and night sweats by blocking neurokinin-3 in the brain, a protein that plays an essential role in regulating body temperature in those going through menopause. 

As the drug is not a hormone replacement therapy, it will not help reduce some of the other difficult symptoms of menopause such as mood swings, fatigue, and changes to the skin and muscle.  

MHRA approval comes after the drug was authorised for use in the US by the Food and Drug Administration, following a large clinical trial in March 2023. The study showed that after 12 weeks of use, Veoza reduced the frequency of hot flushes by about 60% in women with moderate or severe symptoms. Participants also reported that the drug reduced the severity of the hot flushes and improved the quality of their sleep overall. 

Veoza will reportedly be available on private prescription from January 5 2024, according to multiple reports from drug manufacturer Astellas.

As well as those who deal with hot flushes, Veoza may be beneficial for those who experience menopause-related insomnia and insomnia as well, given they're caused by the same part of the brain as hot flushes. 

Julian Beach, the interim executive director of healthcare quality and access at the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), said to the Guardian on Sunday: "Hot flushes and night sweats caused by menopause are common and can have a significant impact on a woman's daily life. We are therefore pleased to have authorised Veoza (fezolinetant) for hot flushes and night sweats caused by menopause via our reliance procedure.

"No medicine would be approved unless it met our expected standards of safety, quality and effectiveness, and we continue to keep the safety of all medicines under close review."

Is Veoza available on the NHS? 

At the moment, no. Manufacturer Astellas has begun the process of applying to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to try and enable women to receive the drug on the NHS.

Currently, those eligible for a prescription via their GP may have to pay out of pocket for a month's supply of the drug, which could cost upwards of £400.