HDA UK Media And Political Bulletin – 16 January 2017

Media Summary

Exiting the EU Committee report: ABPI response

ABPI, 14 January 2017

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has published its response to the Exiting the EU Select Committee report. The ABPI argues that alignment with EU medicines regulation is key and the UK should look to maintain as much harmonisation of medicine regulation as possible. The ABPI supports the focus on transitional arrangements and the UK’s future partnerships with European regulatory agencies and bodies.

January 2017 Price Concessions

Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee, 13 January 2017 

The Department of Health have granted the following price concessions for January 2017:

Drug	Pack size	Price concession
Amitriptyline 50mg tablets	28	£3.40
Buspirone 5mg tablets	30	£19.54
Candesartan 2mg tablets	7	£2.25
Dapsone 50mg tablets	28	£46.19
Exemestane 25mg tablets	30	£9.60
Flecainide 100mg tablets	60	£13.50
Flecainide 50mg tablets	60	£11.25
Lorazepam 1mg tablets	28	£6.05
Mirtazapine 15mg tablets	28	£5.95
Mirtazapine 30mg tablets	28	£1.61
Mirtazapine 45mg tablets	28	£5.95
Naratriptan 2.5mg tablets	6	£24.55
Nitrofurantoin 100mg tablets	28	£14.50
Nitrofurantoin 50mg tablets	28	£17.50
Quinagolide 75microgram tablets	30	£64.97
Ropinirole 0.5mg tablets	28	£16.32
Ropinirole 1mg tablets	84	£56.71
Ropinirole 5mg tablets	84	£165.00
Valsartan 160mg capsules	28	£5.20
Valsartan 40mg capsules	28	£4.72
Valsartan 80mg capsules	28	£5.55
Zolmitriptan 2.5mg tablets	6	£15.30

No endorsements are required as these prices will automatically be applied to this month’s prescriptions.

When any NCSO or price concession announcements are made, these appear on the Generic Shortages page (psnc.org.uk/ncso) and are emailed to those subscribed to this mailing list.

Parliamentary Coverage

There is no parliamentary coverage.

Full Coverage

Exiting the EU Committee report: ABPI response

ABPI, 14 January 2017

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has responded to today’s publication of the Exiting the EU Committee report into the process for exiting the European Union and the Government’s negotiating objectives.

​​​In December, Dr Virginia Acha, ABPI Executive Director – Research, Medical & Innovation gave evidence to the Exiting the EU Committee stating that a primary objective for Government in Brexit negotiations should be to secure alignment and cooperation with EU medicines regulation.

​The UK is currently part of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), a network that facilitates the harmonisation of medicines regulation for more than 25% of global pharmaceutical market and over 500m patients. This includes EU member states, and non-EU members of the European Economic Area (EEA), Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

Robust and internationally aligned medicines regulation, has been essential for protecting and improving the health of patients, has ensured effectiveness and safety, and has brought forward advances in medical innovation to large patient populations in a way that minimises delays and cost.

The UK having an aligned framework in place for medicines regulation ‘from day one’ of leaving the EU would be important for maintaining drugs availability and supply.

Upon reviewing the Committee’s report published today​, the ABPI welcomes their explicit focus on the importance of transitional arrangements and the UK’s future relationships with regulatory agencies and bodies.

Mike Thompson, ABPI, Chief Executive ​commented:

“We welcome the Committee’s focus on the importance of getting medicine regulation right from day one of the UK leaving the European Union.

Securing continued regulatory cooperation and alignment with the EU for medicines will be in the best interests of the UK Government, EU member states and patients.