In a new snapshot survey of leading pharmaceutical businesses in the UK, companies have said that changes to the way the National Institute for Health & Care Excellence (NICE) and NHS England (NHSE) assess new medicines, which came into effect on 1st April, will decrease access to the latest treatments, with new medicines for cancer set to be impacted the most. Page Content

The survey of member companies of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), who deliver 80 per cent of the most innovative medicines used by the NHS, asked questions relating to introduction of a £20 million Budget Impact Test and changes to the Highly Specialised Treatments (HST) programme.

When asked about the impact of the Budget Impact Test:

  • 71 per cent said that they believed it will mean their companies would prioritise launching new medicines in European countries over the UK
  • 89 per cent said that they believed it will mean patient access to cost-effective medicines in the UK will decrease
  • 75 per cent said that they believed it will impact the introduction of new cancer medicines, with new treatments for immune diseases, genetic conditions, neurological conditions, dementia and heart disease also identified as areas most likely to be effected

Billed by the NHS as measures that will ‘significantly speed up access for the most promising and cost effective new technologies,’ when asked, no pharmaceutical company said that they believed either the Budget Impact Test or changes to the HST programme would increase access to new cost effective medicines.

The government’s own competitiveness indicators highlight how the UK is already slow to take up the use of new medicines. 17 NHS patients would typically be on NICE-recommended medicines in the first year, compared to 100 patients in comparative countries, including France, Spain and Germany. It takes the UK five years to reach half the level of medicines being used in Europe.

ABPI Chief Executive, Mike Thompson, commented, ‘In the face of widespread condemnation from patients and charities, the pharmaceutical industry is loud and clear in calling for the government to step-in and deliver upon their manifesto commitment to increase the use of cost effective medicines.’