Fluticasone furoate nasal spray (Avamys™) is licensed for the treatment of symptoms of allergic rhinitis in patients from 6 years of age.

Randomised controlled trials in adults and adolescents have shown it to be more effective than placebo for seasonal allergic rhinitis. Trials in perennial allergic rhinitis have shown improvements in nasal symptoms. Studies in children have shown more variable results.

Unpublished studies have shown comparable efficacy of fluticasone furoate to intranasal fluticasone propionate and mometasone furoate. Claims of greater receptor affinity or selectivity have yet to be shown to make a real difference in clinical use.

As with all intranasal corticosteroids, fluticasone furoate is well tolerated and studies up to one year have shown no effects on immune function.

Fluticasone furoate is comparable in price to mometasone furoate and recently launched generic fluticasone propionate. It is considerably more expensive than beclometasone. Products vary in terms of how many days treatment they contain. For seasonal treatment, choosing a product with more days treatment may mean only one pack is required annually.

Fluticasone furoate is supplied in a device using a side button for actuation which may be more convenient for patients. It has a lower volume per spray than mometasone and fluticasone propionate which may lead to less drip down the throat.

There is no clear reason to choose fluticasone furoate over other available intranasal corticosteroids. Several other products can be bought over the counter for use in adults for less than the current prescription charge. The choice of agent should depend on patient preference and cost.