Brain failure treatment receives NICE recommendation

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended a new treatment for a potentially fatal brain condition caused by liver failure.

Named rifaximin, and also called Targaxan, the drug is manufactured by Norgine and will be used to prevent recurring episodes of overt hepatic encephalopathy in adults.

This condition can lead to people becoming confused, losing consciousness and, in some cases, falling into a coma due to liver problems.

Professor Carole Longson, director of the NICE Centre for Health Technology Evaluation, stated: “We are very pleased to recommend rifaximin for hepatic encephalopathy. This brain disease can have far-reaching effects on people and their families and carers."

Around 12,000 people are affected by hepatic encephalopathy in England alone. The condition is thought to be caused by a build-up of toxic substances in the body that would normally be removed by the liver.

As a result of the NICE recommendation, the NHS has a legal obligation to begin providing the treatment to eligible patients within the next three months.