Doctors will be able to prescribe a nightly pill for insomnia after the medication was given NHS go-ahead
Doctors will be able to prescribe a nightly pill for insomnia after the medication was given NHS go-ahead
- The treatment, taken half an hour before bed, has helped suffers sleep faster
- Nice estimates around 20,000 patients in England could receive pill from GPs
Family doctors will be able to prescribe a nightly pill for insomnia for the first time after the medication was given the go-ahead on the NHS.
The treatment, to be taken half an hour before bedtime, has been found to help sufferers get to sleep more quickly without feeling groggy the next day.
From next week, it will be prescribed to those who have tried cognitive behavioural therapy for the condition without success.
Daridorexant has been approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) for long-term sufferers. The pill, taken once a night, costs £1.42 a day.
Nice estimates that around 20,000 patients in England could receive the treatment from GPs in the first year.
One in three people suffer from insomnia at some stage in their lives, with around 7 per cent having chronic problems (Stock image)
One in three people suffer from insomnia at some stage in their lives, with around 7 per cent having chronic problems.
The drug works by blocking the action of two types of orexins, the chemicals that help the body stay awake. Current treatments for insomnia are designed for use only in the short term.
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