It's been 13 years since the last time a new medication was approved in Australia for endometriosis but, last year, a new drug called Ryeqo was given the green light by an Australian drug regulator to be used for the condition.
The chief executive of Endometriosis Australia, Maree Davenport told The Guardian, “This new drug is an is another tool to enable women with endometriosis to manage their pain, and while it might not suit everybody, for many from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, this drug means that the taboo issues relating to going on contraceptives to manage endometriosis pain is alleviated.”
Now, the game-changing drug is set to be subsidised, benefiting around 8.500 Australian women when it's listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) on May 1. While it's not clear exactly how much Ryeqo will be discounted, at present, it will set you back $135 for a month's supply.
It's not the only women's health medication set to get cheaper. The progesterone-only contraceptive pill Slinda, which is currently prescribed to around 80,000 Australian women, will drop from about $320 to about $94, while IVF hormone therapy Pergoveris will be slashed to $32 per treatment cycle, from an unsubsidised $3,500 per cycle.
What do we know about Ryeqo?
Ryeqo is a tablet taken orally and uses three key ingredients: relugolix, estradiol, and norethisterone acetate. Technically, the drug has been available for use in Australia since 2022, but it wasn't until this week that it was approved specifically for the treatment of endometriosis.
So far in Australia, approved medications have only been in the form of injections or nasal sprays. This is the first oral form.
What does it do?
The medication aims to suppress the body's primary oestrogen production, as well as helping to maintain bone health and protect the uterine lining. All three of its active ingredients work in tandem to help regulate the levels of oestrogen and progesterone in your body – the hormones that contribute to endometriosis – which in turn, helps to alleviate the condition's symptoms.
Find out more about Ryeqo on its Therapeutic Goods Association website.
How can I be prescribed it?
Patients looking to be prescribed Ryeqo tablets will need to consult their GP or specialist. Ryeqo tablets will be prescribed to patients who have already tried medical and surgical interventions for their endometriosis.
What is endometriosis?
Endometriosis is a chronic condition that affects at least one in nine girls and women. It occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus begins to grow outside of it, which in turn affects other organs and leads to inflammation, lesions and the formation of painful scar tissue.
In Australia, approximately 15 in every 1,000 hospitalisations among women aged 15-44 are related to endometriosis. It has no cure, no direct causes, and diagnosis is often delayed for years because of its difficulty to diagnose and treat.
