Proposed update to the 2023 statutory scheme to control the costs of branded health service medicines
DHSC is seeking views on a proposed update to the payment percentage for the statutory scheme for branded medicine pricing, particularly from the pharmaceutical industry and NHS patients.
The statutory scheme is set out in legislation in The Branded Health Service Medicines (Costs) Regulations 2018 (the regulations). It is one of 2 schemes, alongside the 2019 voluntary scheme for branded medicines pricing and access (VPAS), that control the prices of branded medicines to the NHS.
In scope for this consultation is the statutory scheme payment percentage for 2023, and whether this should be amended. The current statutory scheme payment percentage for 2023 was set following a consultation launched in February 2022. It was calculated before the availability of Q1 to Q3 2022 data, which now shows higher than originally forecast growth in measured sales in 2022 and a subsequent increase in the VPAS payment percentage for 2023.
We therefore consider that the statutory scheme payment percentage for 2023 should be revised to respond to this higher growth.