UK: A consultation paper issued by the Department of Health proposes new powers for pharmacies to replace branded drugs recommended on a prescription with cheaper generic equivalents, unless a doctor explicitly forbids it. New measures to increase the use of generic medicines in place of more expensive branded drugs are being put forward by the government as it seeks to save up to £50m a year – in spite of claims that the shift could threaten patient safety and innovation.
It is designed to raise the level of “generic substitution”, helping reduce the National Health Service’s £9bn annual drug bill at a time of funding pressure. The UK has long encouraged doctors to help save the NHS money where there is no benefit from a specific branded drug by writing prescriptions using their generic name, resulting in 83 per cent generic prescribing – one of the highest in Europe.
The proposal – which could be implemented this year – has won support from the British Generic Manufacturers’ Association and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, the trade body for patented medicines. However, it has raised concerns from some other drug companies and patient groups that it would have little economic impact while threatening health and reducing incentives to invest in new drugs. Specialists have argued that even slight differences between the ingredients can have important effects, notably for epileptics.
The UK has long encouraged doctors to help save the NHS money where there is no benefit from a specific branded drug by writing prescriptions using their generic name, resulting in 83 per cent generic prescribing – one of the highest in Europe. Trevor Jones, a former head of the ABPI and director of several pharmaceutical companies, said the varied colours and shapes of different generic drugs could confuse patients and reduce their ability to take pills as prescribed. Much of the remainder represents branded medicines for which there are no generic equivalents, but the government estimates it could add at least another 2.5 per cent by allowing even a branded drug to be switched unless a doctor specifically objects.
Peter Martin, chief operating officer of Norgine, a company that produces generic medicines, warned that generic substitution would destroy the incentives to research new applications for his products. The proposals could favour the cheapest generic drugs, he warned.
The consultation, which runs until the end of March, argues generic substitution would cut annual direct costs by £21m, equivalent to £49m in total benefits through the extra resources given to the NHS. There would be one-off costs of £9m and annual costs to pharmacies and pharmaceutical companies of £4.5m.
refer from: (http://www.ft.com)
