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Remifentanil hydrochloride is a potent, very short-acting opioid given into a vein in closely monitored clinical settings. It supports general anaesthesia and can provide analgesia for mechanically ventilated adults in intensive care.
Remimazolam besylate is a short-acting intravenous benzodiazepine. In adults, selected UK products are licensed for procedural sedation or for inducing and maintaining general anaesthesia.
Repaglinide is a short-acting oral treatment that stimulates insulin release around meals. It is licensed for adults with type 2 diabetes when lifestyle measures are insufficient, either alone or with metformin when metformin alone does not provide adequate control.
Reslizumab is a monoclonal antibody that reduces eosinophilic airway inflammation. It is licensed as add-on treatment for adults with severe eosinophilic asthma that remains inadequately controlled by established maintenance treatment.
A recombinant protein vaccine that combines RSV prefusion F antigen with an immune-response-enhancing adjuvant. It helps prevent RSV lower respiratory tract disease in specified adults; it does not treat an existing RSV infection.
A non-live recombinant protein vaccine that helps the immune system recognise RSV. It is licensed to prevent RSV lower respiratory tract disease in adults and, when given during pregnancy, to protect infants in their first months of life.
Rezafungin acetate is an echinocandin antifungal used to treat invasive candidiasis in adults. It is given into a vein by healthcare professionals and is intended for serious Candida infections affecting the blood, tissues or organs.
Ribavirin is an antiviral used with other treatments for chronic hepatitis C; it should not be used alone. Specialists sometimes use it outside its licence for hepatitis E.
Ribociclib succinate is the salt form of ribociclib, a targeted anticancer treatment that inhibits CDK4 and CDK6. It is used with endocrine therapy for specified hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative early, locally advanced or metastatic breast cancers.
Rifabutin is a rifamycin antibiotic used against mycobacteria. Its licensed roles include pulmonary tuberculosis, non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections and prevention of Mycobacterium avium complex infection in people with advanced HIV.
Rifampicin is a rifamycin antibiotic used mainly with other treatments for tuberculosis and certain other serious bacterial infections. It is also licensed in selected circumstances to clear meningococcal or Haemophilus influenzae carriage.
Rifaximin is a poorly absorbed rifamycin antibiotic that acts mainly inside the bowel. The selected UK product is used in adults with liver disease to reduce recurrence of overt hepatic encephalopathy, which can cause confusion and reduced alertness.
Rilpivirine is a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor used to control HIV-1. Its long-acting injection is used with injectable cabotegravir in eligible people whose HIV is already suppressed.
Rilpivirine hydrochloride is a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor used with other antiretroviral medicines to treat selected people with HIV-1.
Riluzole acts on the nervous system and is used for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the most common form of motor neurone disease. It may modestly slow the disease course and extend survival or time without mechanical ventilation, but it is not a cure and does not usually produce noticeable symptom improvement.
Rimegepant is a CGRP receptor antagonist for adults. It is licensed to treat migraine attacks with or without aura and to prevent episodic migraine in people with frequent attacks.
Riociguat is a specialist treatment that relaxes blood vessels supplying the lungs. It is used for certain forms of pulmonary arterial hypertension and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension to improve exercise capacity.
Ripretinib is an oral targeted anticancer treatment called a tyrosine kinase inhibitor. It is licensed for adults with advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST) previously treated with at least three kinase inhibitors, including imatinib.
Risankizumab is a biological treatment that blocks interleukin-23, an immune-system protein involved in inflammation. It is used under specialist supervision for certain forms of psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
Risdiplam is an oral treatment for 5q spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). It modifies SMN2 gene processing to increase functional survival motor neuron protein.
Risedronate sodium is a bisphosphonate that slows bone breakdown. The selected product is used for postmenopausal osteoporosis and to preserve bone mass in some postmenopausal women receiving long-term systemic corticosteroids.
Risedronate sodium hemipentahydrate is a bisphosphonate that slows the breakdown of bone. It is used to treat osteoporosis and reduce fracture risk in people covered by its licence.
Risperidone is an antipsychotic that changes signalling by dopamine, serotonin and other brain messengers. It is used mainly for schizophrenia and manic episodes, with selected oral products also licensed for specific persistent aggression.
Ritlecitinib tosylate is an immunosuppressant that selectively inhibits JAK3 and TEC-family enzymes. It is used under specialist supervision to treat severe alopecia areata in adults and adolescents aged 12 years and over.
Ritonavir is an antiviral protease inhibitor used as part of combination treatment for HIV-1. Its usual role is to slow the breakdown of another protease inhibitor, increasing that medicine’s exposure and helping it work effectively.
Rituximab is a monoclonal antibody that targets B cells. Selected intravenous products are licensed for certain B-cell cancers and autoimmune diseases, while the selected subcutaneous product is limited to particular adult lymphomas.
Rivaroxaban is a prescription anticoagulant, sometimes called a blood thinner. It reduces harmful clot formation and is used in selected patients to treat or prevent venous clots, prevent stroke in non-valvular atrial fibrillation, and prevent clots after hip or knee replacement surgery.
Rivastigmine is a cholinesterase inhibitor that increases acetylcholine signalling in the brain. The selected transdermal patch is licensed for symptomatic treatment of mild to moderately severe Alzheimer’s dementia; it may ease symptoms but does not cure dementia or stop its progression.
Rivastigmine hydrogen tartrate is a cholinesterase inhibitor used to manage symptoms of dementia. Selected oral products are licensed for mild to moderately severe Alzheimer’s dementia and dementia associated with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease. It may temporarily reduce some symptoms but does not cure dementia.
Rizatriptan benzoate is a triptan used to treat the headache phase of a migraine attack in adults, with or without aura. It treats an attack after it starts and is not a preventive treatment.
Rocuronium bromide is a non-depolarising neuromuscular blocker used with general anaesthesia. It temporarily relaxes skeletal muscles to help place a breathing tube and facilitate surgery. Because breathing muscles are also affected, ventilation and specialist monitoring are essential.
Roflumilast is an oral, non-steroid anti-inflammatory treatment called a phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor. It is used alongside bronchodilator treatment to help prevent exacerbations in selected adults with severe COPD associated with chronic bronchitis.
Romiplostim is a biological thrombopoietin-receptor agonist that helps bone marrow produce more platelets. It is used for primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) when previous treatments have not worked adequately.
Romosozumab is a monoclonal antibody that helps build bone and reduces bone breakdown. It is licensed for severe osteoporosis in postmenopausal women at high risk of fracture, under specialist supervision.
Ropeginterferon alfa-2b is a long-acting recombinant interferon that helps control abnormal blood-cell production. It is licensed as sole treatment for adults with polycythaemia vera without symptomatic enlargement of the spleen.
Ropinirole is a non-ergoline dopamine agonist used to improve movement symptoms in Parkinson’s disease. The selected prolonged-release product can be used alone or with levodopa.
Ropinirole hydrochloride is a non-ergoline dopamine agonist used for Parkinson’s disease. Selected immediate-release tablets are also licensed for moderate to severe idiopathic restless legs syndrome.
Ropivacaine hydrochloride is a long-acting amide local anaesthetic. It is administered by trained clinicians to numb nerves and manage acute pain, including pain during labour or after surgery.
Ropivacaine hydrochloride monohydrate is a long-acting local anaesthetic. It is given near nerves or into the epidural space to numb part of the body and manage pain during labour or after procedures.
Rotigotine is a non-ergot dopamine agonist supplied as a skin patch. This selected product is licensed to relieve moderate to severe idiopathic restless legs syndrome in adults.
Roxadustat is an oral HIF prolyl-hydroxylase inhibitor for symptomatic anaemia associated with chronic kidney disease in adults. It promotes red-cell production and improves iron availability; treatment is monitored with haemoglobin and other blood tests.
Rozanolixizumab is a monoclonal antibody that lowers circulating IgG antibodies. In the UK, it is licensed as an add-on to standard treatment for certain adults with generalised myasthenia gravis.
Rubidium chloride Rb-82 is a short-lived radioactive tracer used during specialist PET heart imaging. It shows blood flow through the heart muscle at rest or during medicine-induced stress; it does not treat heart disease.
Rufinamide is an anti-seizure treatment used alongside other treatments for seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Selected products are licensed from 1 year of age and treatment should be started by an experienced paediatric or neurology specialist.
Rupatadine is a second-generation antihistamine used to relieve symptoms of allergic rhinitis and urticaria. Tablet and oral-solution products cover different age groups.
Rurioctocog alfa pegol is a recombinant, PEGylated factor VIII replacement. It is licensed to treat and prevent bleeding in people aged 12 years and over with haemophilia A. The selected eMC presentation is marked as discontinued.
Ruxolitinib phosphate is a targeted protein kinase inhibitor that blocks JAK1 and JAK2 signalling. In the UK, oral products are used for certain myeloproliferative blood cancers and for graft-versus-host disease that has not responded adequately to corticosteroids.
Sacituzumab govitecan is a targeted anticancer treatment that combines a Trop-2-binding antibody with SN-38, a chemotherapy component. In the UK, it is licensed for certain adults with advanced or metastatic breast cancer after specified previous treatments.
Sacubitril + valsartan is an angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitor used for symptomatic chronic heart failure. It combines two actions that reduce cardiovascular strain and support protective natriuretic peptides.
Safinamide methansulfonate is a selective, reversible monoamine oxidase-B inhibitor for Parkinson’s disease. It is added to established levodopa treatment in adults whose movement control fluctuates between better “ON” periods and more difficult “OFF” periods.
Salicylic acid is a topical keratolytic that softens and loosens thickened outer skin. Selected products treat warts and verrucas or hyperkeratotic, scaling conditions such as psoriasis.
Salmeterol xinafoate is an inhaled long-acting beta2 agonist that relaxes airway muscle to help keep airways open. It is used regularly for asthma and COPD, but is not a fast-acting reliever. In asthma, it must be used alongside corticosteroid treatment.
Sapropterin dihydrochloride is a synthetic form of tetrahydrobiopterin, a natural cofactor needed to process phenylalanine. It lowers blood phenylalanine in people with responsive phenylketonuria or tetrahydrobiopterin deficiency and is used alongside specialist dietary care.
Sarilumab is a biological treatment that reduces inflammation by blocking interleukin-6 signalling. In the UK, it is used under specialist supervision for certain adults with rheumatoid arthritis or polymyalgia rheumatica when previous treatment has not worked adequately or is unsuitable.
Satralizumab is an immunosuppressive monoclonal antibody used to reduce relapses in aquaporin-4 antibody-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). It may be used alone or with certain other immunosuppressive treatments in eligible adults and adolescents.
Saxagliptin hydrochloride is a DPP-4 inhibitor used to improve blood glucose control in adults with type 2 diabetes. It supports diet and exercise and may be used alone when metformin is unsuitable or alongside other diabetes treatments.
Sebelipase alfa is a recombinant form of lysosomal acid lipase used as enzyme replacement therapy for lysosomal acid lipase deficiency, an inherited condition in which fats accumulate within cells and can damage the liver and other organs.
Secukinumab is a biologic antibody that reduces inflammation by blocking interleukin-17A. It is used for selected inflammatory conditions affecting the skin, joints and spine, usually when systemic or conventional treatments have not worked well enough.
Selegiline hydrochloride is a selective monoamine oxidase-B inhibitor used to relieve symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and symptomatic parkinsonism. It may be used alone in early disease or alongside levodopa when symptom control fluctuates.
Selexipag is an oral treatment for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), a condition affecting blood vessels between the heart and lungs. It is licensed for long-term treatment of certain adults, usually alongside other PAH treatments or alone when those treatments are unsuitable.