Pharmacists get the go-ahead to dispense generic drugs

The Department of Health is consulting over plans to increase the dispensing of generic drugs over brands by pharmacists. The proposals could give pharmacists the go-ahead to dispense more generic drug equivalents unless a GP specifically requests a branded drug. The consultation offers several options including having a list of pharmaceuticals that are exempt from generic substitution, or applying generic substitution to a select group of drugs, or leaving current practice as it is.

The consultation document looks to draw responses from patients, voluntary groups representing patients, PCT Chief Executives, SHA Chief Executives, Medical Directors, Directors of Finance, prescribers and dispensers in primary care, and the Pharmaceutical industry.

The proposals to increase generic dispensing are a step toward reducing the £93 million currently spent per year on pharmaceuticals. Up to 83 per cent of drugs currently prescribed are dispensed generically.

Dr Richard Barker, director general of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), said, “We welcome the opportunity given to all stakeholders, including industry, the NHS and patient groups, to provide input and comments to the Department of Health in response to its consultation on generic substitution.”

 

Whatever the outcome of the consultation he said “It is important to ensure that patients’ health and safety is not compromised in the implementation of this new policy.”

 

The ABPI has already given its support to the continued favouring of certain branded drugs over generics for patient safety reasons and international best practice, Dr Barker said.  In the 2009 Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme discussions, ABPI specified the need to exclude from generic substitution:

·    Modified or sustained release preparations,

·    Different formulations

·    Medicines with a narrow therapeutic index/window where there is evidence regarding the risk of adverse patient reactions or inadequate efficacy

·    Vaccines

·    Biosimilars

·    Devices and routes of administration, including site of action

·    Controlled Drugs.

 

Dr Barker said these exclusions for patient welfare could be achieved through either option 2 or 3 in the consultation, and the ABPI will review these options in more detail before responding to the consultation document.

 

ABPI also believes generic substitution should only take place if the dispensed product makes savings for the NHS compared to the prescribed brand name product, he said.

The consultation titled “The Proposals to Implement ‘Generic Substitution’ in Primary Care, Further to the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme (PPRS) 2009”, is due to close 30th March.