The voluntary scheme promotes affordability by setting an annual growth cap of 2% on NHS spending on branded medicines. The alternative to the voluntary scheme is a statutory scheme with less favourable terms for industry. The government should strike a new deal that gets the most for patients out of its spending on medicines. Putting patients first in drug policy would ensure that the prices of branded medicines do not exceed their value to the NHS. The government should not pay more for the benefits of branded medicines than it pays for the benefits of other treatments and services already …

Source: The Times April 14, 2023 16:43 UTC