Upon publication of the Government’s response to the consultation on value-based pricing, Pharmacy Voice warns that any revised system must not generate unintended consequences which place further stress on the medicines supply chain.
Value-based pricing is intended to give patients better access to medicines and achieve value for money for the NHS.
Rob Darracott, chief executive of Pharmacy Voice said:
“The emerging system needs to take note of international pricing, and also be sensitive to the re-imbursement mechanisms for pharmacies. When a product is priced much lower in one EU country than another, legitimate cross-border trade occurs and this can result in shortages in the lower-priced country. Shortages create administrative problems for those further down the supply chain, and cause inconvenience and potentially interrupt the treatment of patients.
“The Government has recognised that coming up with a new system to define what represents value is not an easy task. As the policy is more clearly mapped out, it is essential that further consultations are undertaken on more detailed proposals. A change to the pricing system of medicines could lead to serious unintended consequences, and further stakeholder involvement is required to identify risks as the policy is developed.”