Financial Times - UK pharma sues NHS over drug ... - Thyroid UK

Thyroid UK

137,639 members161,421 posts

Financial Times - UK pharma sues NHS over drug costs

Shelley1954 profile image
7 Replies

Interesting video on Financial Times website

The UK drugs industry is going to court in an attempt to stop the country’s taxpayer-funded National Health Service imposing strict limits on the price it will pay for medicines.

Today article - UK drugs groups seek court block on NHS price limits

Written by
Shelley1954 profile image
Shelley1954
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
7 Replies
helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK

Thanks for posting - interesting.

ft.com/content/f0bfff9a-653...

From the point of view of thyroid, I'd note it says:

The action follows a government crackdown in April that limits funding to medicines forecast to cost the NHS more than £20m per year in any of their first three years of use.

The issues reported are almost always with respect to new medicines - which have their own special difficulties regarding pricing. These days our focus is most often on liothyronine - discovered, isolated and synthesised in the late 1940s/early 1950s.

However, we have also seen some new medicines targetted at Graves disease - which obviously could be affected by the first-three-year-use issues.

Justiina profile image
Justiina

Well... Its interesting that pharmaceutical company tries to harvest more tax payers money. Investors want bigger profits. It costs about billion to develop new antibiotics. Who is gonna pay for it If not tax payers?

Treepie profile image
Treepie in reply to Justiina

Not sure that is the point.The NHS imposed a new rule which permits delaying or restricting funding for meds already judged to be good value for money by the National Institute for Health Care and Excellence(Nice) if they cost the NHS £20m plus.

It takes a lot for Nice to say a drug is good calue for money. The rule stops new treatments for patients with rare diseases .A cancer charity has said a £20m threshold is a major hurdle for cancer drugs.

Justiina profile image
Justiina in reply to Treepie

My point is that pharmaceutical companies keep prices high as possible as they can just because they can.

I am not saying NHS is doing the right thing , but I understand that it's such a burden to health care as you have free prescription for most illnesses.

It's tricky situation.

Treepie profile image
Treepie in reply to Justiina

It takes a great amount of investment to bring a new drug to market .The companies have to get that back but I agree they also keep prices high if they can and there has been a long history of falsification he f research but the real winners are those that buy old drugs and ratchet up the prices like Concordia.

Kitten1978 profile image
Kitten1978

Thank you for posting. Well, it's obvious big pharma will fight back. All they care is their financial gain.

nightingale-56 profile image
nightingale-56

I hope it is our 'favourite' company! And they lose.

You may also like...

Cost of Teva T3 in UK please?

tell me the cost of Teva brand T3 in UK? I need prices for each UK supplier, for a meeting with...

Investigation launched over drug company payments to senior NHS staff

ior-nhs-staff-10412314.html...

Prescriptions to display drug cost

cost of medicine. Jeremy Hunt added: \\"Everything we are proud of in the NHS is funded by...

Drugs firm to pay NHS £8m after competition probe

Drugs firm to pay NHS £8m after competition probe Drugs firm Aspen is to pay £8m to...

August 2022 NHS Drug Tariff

Three additions to the NHS Drug Tariff this month: Levothyroxine sodium 75micrograms/5ml oral...