Steroid treatment approved in Scotland for Ulcerative Colitis

Following a consultation and careful evidence gathering process, the SMC Committee have decided to accept budesonide for routine use in order to help treat Ulcerative Colitis within NHS Scotland.

Budesonide is a steroid more recently developed with special features to help reduce the side effects felt by other steroids used to treat Ulcerative Colitis. It has been designed to be broken down more completely by the liver, reducing the amount of steroid in the blood affecting the rest of the body.

While studies show budesonide is less effective than conventional oral steroids at treating flare-ups, it has the advantage of causing fewer side effects. Bone loss, for example, is reduced with budesonide, but not completely eliminated.

Like other steroids, budesonide is not effective at maintaining remission in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) long-term, and is not used in severe IBD.

The SMC's decision approved the use of budesonide in adults to induce remission in patients with mild to moderate active Ulcerative Colitis where aminosalicylate (5-ASA) treatment is not sufficient.

Budesonide is available but has not gone through appraisal processes in England, Wales & Northern Ireland.

• Read the detailed advice document (pdf)
• Find out more about steroids and other drugs used to treat Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)