Consultation outcome

Update to the statutory scheme to control the costs of branded health service medicines

From:: Department of Health and Social Care
Published: 15 March 2022
Last updated: 1 June 2022 — See all updates

Read the full outcome

Proposed changes to the statutory scheme to control the costs of branded health service medicines: consultation response

HTML

Final impact assessment: update to the statutory scheme to control the costs of branded health service medicines

PDF, 641 KB, 43 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format.

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email publications@dhsc.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Detail of outcome

The government has published its response to feedback received through this consultation.

The finalised regulations and explanatory memorandum have also been published.

Original consultation

Summary

We are seeking views on our proposal to update the payment percentage paid by pharmaceuticals companies who are members of the statutory scheme for branded medicine pricing.

This consultation ran from
2pm on 15 March 2022 to 10am on 26 April 2022

Consultation description

We operate 2 schemes to control NHS spending on branded medicines:

voluntary scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access 2019 (referred to as ‘VPAS’ or the ‘voluntary scheme’)
a statutory scheme, which is set out in legislation

We are seeking views on our proposal to increase the rate of payments made by pharmaceutical companies who are members of the statutory scheme payment in 2022 and 2023.

This is to ensure we continue to control growth in medicines sales under the statutory scheme at a rate of 1.1% and continue to maintain broad commercial equivalence with VPAS. This in turn ensures the overall medicine spend remains affordable and protects the income to the NHS generated by both schemes, in a way consistent with supporting both the life sciences and the wider economy.

Documents