New heart medicine approved for NHS use within 30 days

Thousands of adults with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are set to gain another treatment option after regulators approved aficamten and NICE recommended it for NHS use.

The inherited condition can make the heart muscle contract too strongly, obstructing blood flow and causing breathlessness, fatigue and difficulty exercising. Aficamten is a daily tablet that reduces excessive contraction, helping the heart pump more smoothly.

NHS England must make it available within 30 days. The decision also demonstrates a faster route for useful medicines: closer working between the MHRA and NICE allowed final guidance to appear two weeks sooner than under standard processes.

The medicine is approved for adults with symptomatic disease at specified levels of severity, either alongside standard care or alone when other treatments cannot be used. A confidential discount has been agreed for the NHS.

It is not suitable for everyone and patients will still need regular heart monitoring, including echocardiograms. Safety and effectiveness will remain under review. However, an additional option could improve daily life while showing how coordinated regulation can shorten the wait between approval and real patient access.