A newly published Department of Health and Social Care policy paper outlines the terms agreed between the Department, NHS England and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry for a new branded medicines deal.
The heads of agreement set out how the voluntary scheme for branded medicines pricing and access will improve patient access to medicines, keep the branded medicine bill affordable for the NHS and support innovation and the life science industry at time when the UK’s position on Brexit is being finalised.
Under the scheme patients will see the most effective medicines and vaccines come into use more quickly and “the NHS will have absolute certainty that the sales of branded medicines will not grow by more than 2 per cent in any of the next five years – or industry refunds the money”, says Mike Thompson, Chief Executive of the ABPI. The full voluntary scheme document, if agreed, will be published later in 2018.
The deal would look to achieve faster NICE appraisals for new medicines and cost-effective medicines will be available more quickly for patients and come with guaranteed funding. There will also be an opportunity for companies to engage earlier with the NHS or government through a single route. Equally, there is a commitment to develop and publish a ‘commercial framework’ once the voluntary scheme is in place.
The Secretary of State Matt Hancock, commenting on the new deal, said that the NHS’s medicines bill would be cut by £930 million next year.
Jane Williams, Senior Associate
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