28 August 2013

Surrey & North West Sussex Area Prescribing Committee (formerly Prescribing Clinical Network)

Two key trials suggest that linaclotide may be an effective treatment, when compared with placebo. However, assessing linaclotide's place in therapy in the NHS is problematic because of the absence of active comparator studies. Local gastroenterologists support the use of Linaclotide in a small group of difficult to treat patients. They believe that if it is available for prescribing in primary care, it may reduce the number of referrals to secondary care and colonoscopies. GP colleagues noted that IBS is often diagnosed by exclusion and that they sometimes refer if they feel the diagnosis may not be certain, so they feel that the reduction in secondary care referrals and costs may not be as great as anticipated. They did acknowledge that where a diagnosis is clear/confirmed, it would be useful to have access to this drug without having to refer patients. A treatment pathway is attached for information