Economics: The Threat To UK Pharmacy

25 September 1994

Pharmacists in the UK should not face the future as dispensers of commodity chemicals at the lowest prices, but take their rightful place as key health care professionals in discussions about the needs of patients in a cost-effective health care environment, says Trevor Jones, director general of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry.

He told the 1994 British Pharmaceutical Conference in London this month that to a large extent, pharmacists' traditional role in terms of their direct link with prescribers on treatment decisions is being usurped by those whose responsibilities or interests are solely related to health economics. While not denying the need for careful and proper economy in the provision of health care, he believes the presence of ever-more advocates between patient, prescriber and provider has shifted the balance of the arguments too far onto the scale of cost rather than the key issue of cost-effective, beneficial therapy.

As an example, Dr Jones quoted the recommendation of the parliamentary Committee on Health report on the National Health Service drugs budget (Marketletter July 25) to establish a National Prescribing List. "I know that I need not remind this conference that the blacklisting of prescribable medicines and the creation of a utilitarian, restricted National Formulary (even if a Committee could be properly composed to draw up such a list - which I doubt) will not serve the needs of patients adequately or appropriately," he said. Another example was the recent further proposals for the Selected List. Such blacklisting is not only a disincentive to further R&D, he said, but deprives NHS patients of the medicines they deserve.

This article is accessible to registered users, to continue reading please register for free.  A free trial will give you access to exclusive features, interviews, round-ups and commentary from the sharpest minds in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology space for a week. If you are already a registered user please login. If your trial has come to an end, you can subscribe here.

Login to your account

Become a subscriber

 

£820

Or £77 per month

Subscribe Now
  • Unfettered access to industry-leading news, commentary and analysis in pharma and biotech.
  • Updates from clinical trials, conferences, M&A, licensing, financing, regulation, patents & legal, executive appointments, commercial strategy and financial results.
  • Daily roundup of key events in pharma and biotech.
  • Monthly in-depth briefings on Boardroom appointments and M&A news.
  • Choose from a cost-effective annual package or a flexible monthly subscription
The Pharma Letter is an extremely useful and valuable Life Sciences service that brings together a daily update on performance people and products. It’s part of the key information for keeping me informed

Chairman, Sanofi Aventis UK





Today's issue

Company Spotlight