The NHS has saved taxpayers £1.2 billion in just three years,
while securing cutting-edge treatments for patients, by using its
buying power to negotiate better prices for hundreds of hospital
medicines.
The adoption of cheaper versions of a single drug – adalimumab –
which is used to treat more than 45,000 patients with rheumatoid
arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and psoriasis, has
accounted for about one third of the savings.
After the exclusive patent on the drug – originally known as its
brand name Humira – expired in 2018, the NHS struck cost-saving
deals to bulk-buy generic versions, which have the same quality,
safety and efficacy of a branded one.
Since then, tens of millions of pounds have been saved by buying
cheaper generic versions of other medicines for conditions
ranging from severe skin infections to aggressive blood cancers.
Four in five medicines prescribed in the NHS are now non-branded,
helping the NHS to achieve significant savings while ensuring the
continuity of high-quality patient care.
NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard said:
“Smart deals by the NHS mean patients are getting the best
medicines and taxpayers are getting best value.
“The NHS has once again shown our commercial power to secure
cutting-edge treatments for patients while freeing up £1.2
billion of taxpayers’ money, through negotiating better prices
for high volumes of branded and non-branded drugs – ensuring that
our frontline staff have the necessary medicines to support
high-quality patient care wherever you live.
“From better value treatment for arthritis to a ‘one-shot’ jab
for spinal muscular atrophy, this approach is part of our NHS
Long Term Plan, giving patients access to the latest
life-changing medicines as early as possible as well as ensuring
every NHS pound is spent wisely”.
Blake Dark, NHS Commercial Medicines Director,
said: “We are committed to providing our doctors and
nurses with the medicines they need to treat patients in every
setting. These figures demonstrate that we are continuing to do
just that, while also meeting our responsibility to provide
taxpayer value for money.
“The NHS provides medicines for more than 55 million people,
requiring us to secure millions of tablets, injections and
infusions, and enabling us to use our substantial commercial
buying power to drive deals that deliver substantial savings for
the health service”.
The £1.2 billion savings are announced as the NHS transitions to
a new approach to purchasing generic medicines, requiring
suppliers to hold extra medicines on UK soil, providing backup
stock that can be quickly mobilised so doctors will be able to
access their first-choice treatment for every patient treated in
secondary care.
On top of these substantial savings, the NHS also continues to
secure patient access to cutting-edge new treatments, such as the
life-saving gene therapy Libmeldy for the treatment of the rare
condition metachromatic leukodystrophy, and the one-shot spinal
muscular atrophy jab, Zolgensma.
Health and Social Care Secretary said: “This is
excellent news for patients and taxpayers – providing
life-changing treatments at a fair price while securing the best
possible value for money.
“The UK is once again at the forefront of giving people early
access to the latest cutting-edge medicines”.
David Webb, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for England,
said: “Thank you to clinical staff, including pharmacy
colleagues up and down the country, and colleagues from national
patient organisations who, working together, are enabling the
health service to deliver the objectives of providing high
quality, safe patient care from our investment in medicines as
well as value for taxpayers.
“We are also delivering on programmes to ensure we are
responsible prescribers, using medicines safely and effectively,
and with appropriate review, to continue to improve patient
outcomes”.
The NHS led in the use of the generic drug dexamethasone as the
world’s first effective treatment for hospitalised patients with
Covid-19 and is now leading in exploring opportunities to find
new uses for other medicines, through a multi-agency Medicines
Repurposing programme.
Mark Samuels, Chief Executive of the British Generic
Manufacturers Association, said: “A strong relationship
between the NHS and the generic medicines industry is vital to
providing patient access to treatments while delivering better
value for the health service.
“Working in partnership with the British generics industry is
helping to ensure that NHS hospitals have a secure supply of
medicines for patients across the country, and some of the lowest
generic drug prices in Europe are also helping to deliver
significant savings for taxpayers”.
At the start of June, NHS England, in partnership with the
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE),
launched a new Innovative Medicines Fund that will support faster
access to non-cancer drugs and, alongside the current Cancer
Drugs Fund, provide a total of £680 million ring-fenced NHS
funding for innovative medicines.
During the consultation on the Innovative Medicines Fund, 96% of
respondents indicated their support for the purpose of the new
Fund that will enable patients to benefit from new treatment
options while further data can be collected to inform a decision
on their routine use.
