The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) does not recommend the use of entecavir (Baraclude®) within NHS Scotland for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in adults with decompensated liver disease.

The drug advice (see link below) summarises the efficacy, safety and cost-effectiveness data submitted by the company and considered by the Committee.  This notes that entecavir has demonstrated a superior virological response in adults with chronic HBV and decompensated liver disease compared with another nucleoside/nucleotide analogue (adefovir); there is however no comparative evidence versus the relevant comparator (tenofovir).  In addition the company did not present a sufficiently robust economic analysis to gain acceptance by SMC.