Pharma draws battle lines in NICE £20 million limit row

When plans were announced for a cap on the cost of new drugs in England made available on the National Health Service (NHS) in March, pharma companies were roundly critical of the proposals.

The plan would see drugs which are recommended for NHS funding by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) face an additional negotiation process for medicines if they are likely to cost the NHS more than £20 million ($25.8 million) in any of the first three years of use.

In response to recent reports in the UK media that a legal challenge was being prepared by drugmakers to fight the introduction of this extra negotiating hurdle, the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), which represents research-based pharma in the UK, confirmed that it has applied for a judicial review.