FibroScan® now recommended in primary care settings, according to Landmark Guidance from NICE

NICE recommends Echosens' liver diagnostic solution for assessment of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis

PARIS and WALTHAM, Mass., June 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Most people don't show symptoms of liver disease until it has progressed to an advanced stage, at which point no treatments are available. To help expel this reality, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the United Kingdom has issued landmark guidance recommending the use of FibroScan^®, citing that it may improve early detection of liver disease in primary and community care settings.

NICE found that the non-invasive technology from Echosens is a safe and effective way to improve patient outcomes and create a more efficient system for diagnosing liver disease in the early stages. This groundbreaking recommendation will allow FibroScan^® patients to receive faster results in the diagnostic patient pathway and outside secondary care. As a result, this technology has the potential to revolutionize how healthcare providers diagnose and treat patients with liver conditions, such as NAFLD, NASH, fibrosis and cirrhosis, in a matter of minutes.

"The NICE diagnostic guidance is a huge step forward in expanding routine testing for liver disease globally because NICE typically sets the tone for other HTA guidance worldwide," says Dominique Legros, Echosens Group CEO. "With the incidence of liver disease rising at staggering rates, more needs to be done to catch and diagnose it early. When you look at the cost burden of liver disease and the high death rate, bringing this 10-minute scan to primary care visits is something that should be adopted on a much larger scale."

Dominique Legros explains that NICE guidance includes evidence-based recommendations developed by independent committees, including professionals and lay members, and consulted on by stakeholders for adoption in the National Health System (NHS).

"When non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is detected and properly managed in its early stages, patients can often stop the progression of the disease and reduce the amount of liver fat present," continues Legros. NAFLD, an asymptomatic condition, currently affects approximately 37% of adults and is rarely diagnosed in primary care or diabetology clinics. "Lifestyle changes, such as incorporating better nutrition and a more active lifestyle, can prevent the progression of NAFLD to more serious liver diseases such as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis and cirrhosis. FibroScan provides an accessible means for health care providers to monitor the positive effects of patient lifestyle changes over time, reinforcing these behaviors that lead to improved liver health – halting or even reversing the progression of liver disease."

With appropriate training, any health care professional can perform an exam with FibroScan, leading to immediate cost reductions and scheduling efficiencies compared to the costs associated with referring a patient for secondary or specialist care testing.

"As part of locally agreed care pathways, this guidance provides greater access for patients with suspected liver disease to non-invasive testing for liver fibrosis," said Phil Newsome, Director of NIHR Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre. "It is critical in enabling earlier identification of patients with advanced liver fibrosis and allowing for earlier therapeutic interventions."

"The British Liver Trust is delighted that NICE has recommended FibroScan for use in primary or community care to assess liver fibrosis or cirrhosis," said Pamela Healy, OBE, Chief Executive of the British Liver Trust. "Liver disease develops silently and often symptoms do not appear until the damage to the liver is irreversible. FibroScan offers a quick and non-invasive way to measure inflammation in the livers of those at risk. The damage can be halted and sometimes reversed through effective treatment and intervention if diagnosed earlier. Having this service available in the community will reduce the need for unnecessary ultrasounds and mean that patients can access a scan without long journeys to the hospital." 

The use of FibroScan^® as a reliable diagnostic tool for detecting the early stages of liver diseases marks an essential milestone in healthcare. According to Ben Inglis, General Practitioner, Wickham Surgery UK, "FibroScan^® is perfect for use in a primary care setting; it is portable and gives patients an instant result." It will enable medical professionals to provide faster diagnoses and improved outcomes for those suffering from this debilitating illness.

About Echosens
Pioneer in its field, Echosens significantly changed the practice of liver assessment with FibroScan^®, the non-invasive solution for comprehensive management of liver health. FibroScan^® is recognized worldwide and validated by over 3,500 peer-reviewed publications and 160 international guidelines. Echosens has made FibroScan^® available in over 100+ countries enabling millions of liver examinations worldwide. https://www.echosens.com/

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