Call for fairer drug tax system in Hungary

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry has responded to the announcement by the UK government of an end to the complete exclusion of patients who pay for drugs not covered by the National Health Service. Under measures announced by the Health Secretary, Alan Johnson, people who are refused a drug because the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has determined that it is not cost effective, will have the option of paying for it, but under certain restrictions concerning the use of NHS facilities while being administered the compound (Marketletter November 10).

Richard Barker, director general of the ABPI, said: "we welcome the government's commitment to provide wider access to medicines which will enhance and extend patients' lives. Over the next four years, the Department of Health will make savings of l2.9 billion [$4.60 billion] on the current medicines bill, so there is funding available to pay for new, more effective medicines - medicines that are already available in other countries."

Dr Barker stressed that, "as an industry, we have shown increasing flexibility in pioneering patient access schemes to get new medications to patients faster. What patients need now is for further steps to be taken in the overhaul of the NICE decision-making process to make it faster, simpler, more transparent and to reflect the broader value criteria."