Scottish Executive will not amend zero discount list
The Scottish Executive will not be amending the list of drugs subject to zero discount following the revised discount terms announced by GlaxoSmithKline and IVAX, it emerged this week.
Frank Owens, chairman of the Scottish Pharmaceutical General Council,
told The Journal that he had received a letter from the Scottish Executive
Health Department which stated: “We are not satisfied that there
is any logical reason for regularly adjusting the list of drugs categorised
as zero discount items. We therefore do not intend to constantly amend
the list of ZD items as this may only serve to further encourage market
behaviour that would frustrate our objective of transparently delivering
the target rate of discount clawback in a way that is predictable to
both the Department and contractors.”
Mr Owens commented: “Difficult as the situation may now be, the
last thing we need is for the reimbursement process to be put under further
strain with other manufacturers following the GSK route. Unless GSK reconsiders,
there is a now a very real possibility that SEHD and SPGC will require
to conduct a further proprietary discount inquiry — something,
given the significant effort required, that neither SPGC, nor I suspect
SEHD, would wish to consider at this point in time. I doubt further whether
contractors would welcome the prospect of yet another survey so soon
after the last.” |
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