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UK spending on new medicines is falling
- Publisher：
- Publication：2012/11/5
The NHS in England is spending increasingly less on innovative new medicines, an industry expert has revealed.
A recent report from OHE Consulting, compiled on behalf of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), found that the UK's branded medicine prices are among the lowest of developed nations.
The report indicates that expenditure on medicines is "firmly under control", according to Stephen Whitehead, chief executive of the ABPI.
But Mr Whitehead also noted that spending on the newest branded medicines is decreasing as a proportion of total healthcare spending.
This is a concern, as the UK risks falling further behind Europe in terms of patient healthcare outcomes, the expert warned.
He pointed out: "The NHS has the scope to invest in newer medicines because they are saving billions on medicines as treatments lose their patents.
"It is these new, advanced medicines which can often have the greatest impact on treating disease and which we need to ensure reach patients to bring us closer into line with Europe on health outcomes."
According to the OHE Consulting report, UK spending on the newest medicines will rise by just 1.2 per cent per year until 2015, while total NHS spending will increase by 2.5 per cent a year.