Virulite Cold Sore Machine

July 2022 v1.0

The Virulite Cold Sore Machine works by emitting light of a wavelength that its developers claim heals

cold sores twice as quickly as using an antiviral cream.

Following several refinements to the device and two clinical trials, Virulite CS has now been accepted

as an addition to part IX of the Drug Tariff for England and Wales, (and part 3 of the Scottish Drug

Tariff), prescribable on the NHS from 1 January 2008.

Virulite costs £18.50 per machine and they carry a three-year warranty.

The evidence for the effectiveness of these machines either against placebo or topical

aciclovir is very limited and no long-term safety data could be found on a search. The

evidence relates to crusting or healing rates and not to prevention of recurrence or to use in

combination with other treatments.

NHS Clinical Knowledge Summaries states that the benefits of topical antivirals (aciclovir or

penciclovir) are small and require treatment to be initiated at the onset of symptoms

(erythema or prodromal stage) before vesicles appear. They do not recommend that oral

antivirals should be used in immunocompetent individuals for mild-to-moderate episodes

given the self-limiting nature of the disease, the limited benefits of oral antivirals, and that

treatment needs to be initiated at the onset of prodromal symptoms. They may be of most

use in severe cases or in immunocompromised individuals at risk of developing further

complications.

In terms of any one specific patient, prescribing the Virulite might be an option if an

immunocompetent patient is unable to concord with the usual self-help advice and the

administration schedules for more established therapies or is frequently presenting for repeat

prescriptions. However, that this product should NOT be prescribed routinely for herpes

labialis until such time more robust evidence of benefit is available.