NICE confirms Pradaxa recommendation
This article was originally published in Scrip
Executive Summary
Guidance published for the national health service in England and Wales confirms theNational Institute for health and Clinical Excellence's recommendation thatBoehringer Ingelheim's Pradaxa (dabigatran etexilate) be an option for the primary prevention of venous thromboembolic events in adults who have undergone elective total hip replacement surgery or elective total knee replacement surgery. The direct thrombin inhibitor was licensed by the EU in March and given a tentative NICE recommendation in July (Scrip Online, August 1st, 2008). The appraisal committee concluded that Pradaxa was as cost-effective as low-molecular weight heparin or fondaparinux, taking into account the benefits of its oral formulation. Boehringer Ingelheim says it is the first new oral anticoagulant to be launched in the UK for over 50 years.