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Letters to the Editor
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Medicines distribution
Hyoscine transdermal POM to P
From Mr M. Bland, MRPharmS
I was approached by a customer recently who wanted to buy Scopoderm
TTS patches. The legal status of “Scopoderm TTS” patches
has recently changed; however, the September Chemist & Druggist still
lists it as a POM product. I told the customer this and he produced a
recently purchased pack bearing the Novartis and Boots logos and a P
symbol.
I contacted Novartis customer services and it became apparent that a
sole selling agreement was in force. I was advised to send the customer
back to Boots to repurchase the product there. I explained that he had
come to us because his local branch had no further stocks since he had
purchased their total stock. The advice was then for him to go to his
GP for a prescription for the product. My colleagues in primary care
trusts may be concerned at this advice as it will affect their prescribing
costs.
Although Novartis has a perfect right to distribute its products through
the outlets it chooses, I wonder how the other major multiples and independents
feel about this arrangement. They might decide that, when a representative
arrives, he or she should be sent away with a comment that they will
be seen, and an order placed, when the full Novartis range is available
to them. Indeed this same policy might also extend to the company’s
generic range.
Mike Bland
Chandlers Ford, Hampshire
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Michael Wheeldon, general manager, Novartis Consumer Health (NCH) UK
and Ireland, replies:
Mr Bland is correct in saying that the OTC offering
of Scopoderm patches (Scopoderm 1.5mg patches) is currently only available
through Boots outlets. However our underlying rationale for doing
this stems only from our desire to bring new and innovative products
into the
pharmacy arena which have the strongest chance of success.
Scopoderm patches are indicated for the prevention of travel sickness
symptoms, eg, nausea, vomiting and vertigo and sit within the travel
sickness market which
has been valued at £7m (September 2004). This market is highly seasonal
and, furthermore, owing to its patch technology, Scopoderm has a premium price
point versus traditional motion sickness products. These unique circumstances
led us to conclude that a national launch of an OTC offering of Scopoderm would
be imprudent without a full in-market test.
In 2003, Boots discussed with NCH a proposal to test market jointly an OTC
version of Scopoderm. Following this, NCH applied to switch the product from
POM to P
and this was carried out in accordance with established procedures, with
approval in March 2004 under the brand name Scopoderm 1.5mg patches and subsequent
product
availability through Boots from June 2004. Our advice to consumers who are
wishing to purchase Scopoderm OTC, but who are unable to source it, is to
discuss alternative
treatments with their pharmacist. Scopoderm TTS remains a POM product and
is used to fulfil NHS prescriptions.
Scopoderm 1.5mg patches will be made available, as originally intended, through
normal channels to all pharmacies at the end of the test period mid next
year. In the meantime, NCH remains committed to independent pharmacy and
will continue
to look at new ways to deliver value into the pharmacy channel. |
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The
Pharmaceutical Journal