European Medicines Association (EMA) statement on Obeticholic acid (Ocaliva) for the treatment of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC)
The European Medicines Association (EMA) issued a statement on Obeticholic acid (Ocaliva) for the treatment of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) on 28 06 2024.
The EMA has recommended that the marketing authorisation for Ocaliva be revoked in the European Union following results of the COBALT trial, 747-302 . In the UK EMA recommendations do not apply, as we are regulated by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). At present, there are no changes to the recommendations on use of Obeticholic acid in PBC from the MHRA or the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and so current prescribing practices should NOT change.
We shall update the UK liver community if there are any changes to the recommendations on the use of Obeticholic acid.
Practical advice and key actions in new GIRFT handbook for optimising the care of patients with IBD
NHS England’s Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme has developed a new handbook pulling together examples of innovative practice, practical advice and key actions to help optimise the care of NHS patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
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We are introducing member voting for the next BSG President-Elect
The BSG introducing an important change to the way we select our future President. From 2026, members will have the opportunity to vote for the President-Elect as part of a new pilot election process designed to increase transparency, strengthen governance, and enhance member engagement.
BSG Member Professor Alan Lobo Shortlisted for National Leadership Award
Professor Alan Lobo, Consultant Gastroenterologist at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Professor of Gastroenterology at the University of Sheffield, and a longstanding member of the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG), has been named a finalist for Clinical Leader of the Year at the 2025 Health Service Journal (HSJ) Awards.