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From 4,100 to more than 12,000 in a single year: the tablets more women are finally getting

Qurexa Editorial Team29 October 20267 min read 0 0
From 4,100 to more than 12,000 in a single year: the tablets more women are finally getting

What happened

Prescribing of two newer tablets for endometriosis and uterine fibroids has roughly tripled in a year in England. Figures from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), reported by The Pharmacist on 26 October 2026, show that more than 12,000 people in England were prescribed relugolix combination therapy or linzagolix by their GP in 2025/26. The year before, the figure was 4,100. Total NHS use of the two medicines, counting both GP surgeries and hospitals, rose from 1.2 million tablets to 3.7 million over the same period. Both medicines are taken as a tablet. They work by damping down the hormone signals that drive the growth and bleeding behind both conditions. NICE recommended relugolix combination therapy for fibroids in October 2022 and for endometriosis in April 2025. It recommended linzagolix for fibroids in August 2024 and for endometriosis in June 2025. Marie Anne Ledingham, a NICE consultant clinical advisor for women's and reproductive health, put the point bluntly: "No woman should have to live for years with severe pain or heavy bleeding before being offered treatments that could help." NICE says the tablets help people manage severe pain, exhaustion and heavy bleeding, and that they can sometimes delay or remove the need for more invasive treatment such as surgery.

Why this matters

Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows elsewhere in the body. It can cause severe pain, heavy periods and exhaustion. Fibroids are non-cancerous growths in or around the womb, and they can cause heavy bleeding and pressure. Neither is rare. Endometriosis affects around 1 in 10 women of reproductive age. And it takes an average of nine years to diagnose in the UK. Nine years is the number that should stop you. That is nine years of being in pain, often being told it is normal, and often not being offered anything that works. Two of the patients who spoke to The Pharmacist described exactly that experience. Clare Gallagher, 46, who started the tablets in October 2025, said: "I saw doctors many times, but no one investigated further." Ruth Ajayi, 45, said: "I wish more women knew about this treatment." A tripling in prescribing in one year suggests something is shifting. More people are being offered a treatment that already existed and that NICE had already recommended. The medicine was not the bottleneck. Knowing about it was.

What the evidence actually says

A big rise in prescribing is good news, but it needs reading carefully. First, the numbers are large in percentage terms and still small in absolute terms. Just over 12,000 GP prescriptions in a year, against a condition affecting roughly one in ten women of reproductive age, means most people who might benefit are still not getting these tablets. A tripling is progress from a low base, not a solved problem. Second, these are not first-choice treatments for everyone, and NICE has not said they are. For fibroids, they are recommended for adults with moderate to severe symptoms. For endometriosis, NICE recommends them for people who have already tried other medical or surgical treatments. They are started by a specialist, with a period of stabilisation, before a GP takes over the ongoing prescribing. Third, the long-term picture is genuinely incomplete. Dr Nilofer Husain, a consultant gynaecologist at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, said that "we still need more information about [the tablets'] long term safety". That is an honest statement from a specialist who uses them, not a warning to avoid them. It means the decision is one to make with a clinician who knows your history. There is also movement on diagnosis, which is where the nine-year delay sits. NICE has conditionally recommended Endotest, a saliva test that could help GPs identify endometriosis more quickly. "Conditionally" matters: it means the test can be used while more evidence is gathered, not that it is settled practice.

Qurexa perspective

This is one story where our day job is directly relevant, so we will say why. Both of these medicines are taken daily, long term, and they are typically started by a hospital specialist and then continued on repeat prescription through a GP. That handover is exactly the point where things go wrong. A repeat gets requested late. A pharmacy is out of stock. Someone who is already exhausted and in pain has to chase it. Qurexa delivers prescriptions and supports medication adherence across Lincolnshire, and heavy, painful periods are a very practical reason why getting to a pharmacy can be hard. If a medicine only works when taken continuously, then reliable supply is part of the treatment, not an administrative detail. We are not able to tell you whether these tablets are right for you. That is a conversation for your GP or gynaecologist. What we can do is make sure that once something is prescribed, it turns up.

Practical advice

If periods are disrupting your daily life, that is reason enough to seek help. NICE's position is that anyone in that situation should be offered a full discussion of the options suitable for them. Pain that stops you working, studying or sleeping is not something to wait out. Go to your appointment with evidence. Track your symptoms for a couple of cycles before you go: how many days you bleed, how heavy it is, pain scores out of ten, days missed from work or school, and anything that helps or worsens it. Written notes are harder to dismiss than a general description, and they help your GP see the pattern. Ask directly about the options. It is reasonable to ask what treatments exist, whether tablets such as relugolix combination therapy or linzagolix might be appropriate for you, and whether a referral to a gynaecologist is warranted. Asking about a named treatment is not being difficult. It is being informed. If you have been dismissed before, go back. Many people wait years, often after being told their symptoms are normal. A second appointment, or a different GP in the same practice, is a legitimate step. If you are already on one of these tablets, keep your repeat prescription ahead of schedule, and tell your prescriber about any side effects rather than stopping on your own. Your pharmacist can answer medicine questions without an appointment. Do not buy hormone treatments online from sellers outside the NHS or a registered pharmacy. These medicines need specialist initiation and monitoring for good reasons.

What to know

GP prescribing of relugolix combination therapy and linzagolix in England rose from 4,100 people in 2024/25 to more than 12,000 in 2025/26. Total NHS use went from 1.2 million to 3.7 million tablets. The tablets treat severe symptoms of endometriosis and uterine fibroids: pain, exhaustion and heavy bleeding. NICE recommends them for people with moderate to severe fibroid symptoms, and for endometriosis after other treatments have been tried. They can sometimes avoid or delay surgery. The context is a nine-year average wait for an endometriosis diagnosis in the UK, in a condition affecting about 1 in 10 women of reproductive age. Specialists say more long-term safety data is still needed, so this is a decision to make with a clinician rather than alone. If your periods are disrupting your life, you are entitled to a proper discussion of your options. It is worth asking. Sources: The Pharmacist (Emily Warner), "Prescriptions for endometriosis and fibroid tablets triple in a year", 26 October 2026, https://www.thepharmacist.co.uk/in-practice/prescriptions-for-endometriosis-and-fibroid-tablets-triple-in-a-year/; National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, "Relugolix–estradiol–norethisterone for treating symptoms of endometriosis" (TA1057), https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ta1057. This article is for general information and does not replace advice from a doctor, pharmacist or other qualified healthcare professional.

#endometriosis#fibroids#NICE#women's health#prescriptions#NHS

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