NHS to offer first licensed vitiligo treatment

More than 80,000 people living with the chronic skin condition, vitiligo, will soon be offered the first-approved medicine to restore lost skin colour, following NICE approval.

The new cream, known as ruxolitinib (brand name Opzelura), will be offered by the NHS to individuals aged 12 years and over across England who have a form of the condition where white patches typically appear symmetrically on both sides of the face and body – known as non-segmental vitiligo.

Abigail Hurrell, chief executive officer of The Vitiligo Society, said: ‘[The] approval of ruxolitinib represents a historic milestone and the first time the NHS has recognised and funded a dedicated repigmentation treatment.’

‘This decision acknowledges the significant psychological, social and medical impact of vitiligo and marks a fundamental shift towards the equitable care our community has long deserved.’

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Around one in 100 people in the UK live with vitiligo, an autoimmune disease in which the person’s immune system mistakenly attacks melanocytes – the cells that produce melanin, the pigment that gives skin its colour.

Until now, options have been limited mostly to interventions that camouflage the condition or steroid creams that can thin and damage the skin if used long-term. Light therapy is also offered, but it requires repeated hospital visits and does not always produce lasting results.

Pav Korpal, a patient expert who was a member of previous NICE committees looking at vitiligo treatments, said: ‘As an Indian with brown skin, my vitiligo is more visible. As a young child, I was often called vile names and bullied as a result, causing me distress and anxiety. This led me to me seeking off label treatments, which have often been hit and miss.’

‘Getting the news that ruxolitinib, an effective treatment expressly for vitiligo, is being recommended gives me renewed optimism. Treating the physical symptoms will also help to manage the psychological effects of this disease.’

The newly recommended cream, ruxolitinib, works by calming the immune system’s attack on pigment-producing cells, helping repair the skin cells so they regain their natural colour.

The treatment is applied twice daily to affected areas of the skin, with results usually checked after about six months, and will be offered where standard steroid creams have not worked or are not suitable.

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Clinical trials showed the cream significantly improved facial repigmentation compared with a placebo, with many patients seeing at least a 75% return of skin colour to affected areas.

While often not physically painful, for many people, vitiligo can be emotionally distressing – and when it affects the face, it can have a significant impact on people’s confidence, sense of identity and mental health.

Professor Meghana Pandit, national medical director at NHS England, said: ‘For many people, vitiligo isn’t just a change in skin colour – it can affect how they see themselves and how they feel every day, particularly when it involves the face.

‘We also know the condition can have a particularly significant impact on people with darker skin tones, where changes in pigmentation are more visible.’

Ruxolitinib had previously been rejected for NHS use in August 2025, but following a rapid review and complex negotiations, NHS England secured a deal with manufacturer Incyte to enable its approval by NICE.

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NHS England has confirmed that it will make the cream available within three months of final guidance being published.

A version of this article was first published in our sister title The Pharmacist.