A medicine giving the "prospect of a cure" for Hepatitis C is one of four accepted for routine use by NHS Scotland.

The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) approved the use of Elbasvir-grazoprevir, known as Zepatier, on Monday, saying it is "a combination of two medicines that inhibit the replication of the Hepatitis C virus and offers the prospect of a cure for Hepatitis C infection".

The consortium also approved Pembrolizumab, known as Keytruda, which can give late-stage non-small cell lung cancer patients two more months to live.

Deferasirox (Exjade) was accepted for treatment of an excess of iron in some patients with a rare blood disorder, and the Butec buprenorphine skin patch was approved to ease chronic pain not associated with cancer in people aged 65 and over.

The consortium rejected two treatments for patients with the rare white blood cell cancer multiple myeloma due to uncertainties about the evidence on benefits versus costs.

SMC chairman Professor Jonathan Fox said: "I am pleased that we were able to accept four new medicines for routine use in NHS Scotland.

"Unfortunately the committee was unable to accept two medicines for the treatment of multiple myeloma."