Around 12%-15% of prescriptions in the UK are now not filled because of the rise in prescription charges, a meeting on the future of pharmacy, hosted by the Proprietary Association of Great Britain, has heard. And Department of Health curbs on pharmacists' National Health Service remuneration could cut by half the NHS income of independent pharmacists dispensing under 1,000 prescriptions per month in 1995-96.
Some independents' survival will depend on selling pharmacy medicines, as the declining time spent in the dispensary falls further with the advent of patient packs, and more time will be spent advising customers, speakers noted. But John Lawson of IMS warned that by switching customers to generics, pharmacists destroy their profits. For example, in the last year they would have earned more by dispensing Crookes' Nurofen (ibuprofen) at standard terms than generic ibuprofen only, even if this was provided free.
Other speakers said television advertising of over-the-counter brands means customers ask for them by brand name, providing no opportunity for the pharmacist to advise on the product's appropriateness.
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 accountTry before you buy
7 day trial access
Become a subscriber
Or £77 per month
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
Copyright © The Pharma Letter 2024 | Headless Content Management with Blaze