UK ABPI gears up for next pricing negotiations; Boehringer breaches code

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Association (ABPI) last Friday brought together pharmaceutical industry leaders to gain a clearer understanding of their needs and thinking ahead of next year’s negotiations for the pricing of medicines, the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme (PPRS), which expires at the end of 2013. Hosted in London by ABPI chief executive Stephen Whitehead, the meeting was a chance for companies of all sizes to share their views and shape this important debate.

Mr Whitehead commented: “The outcome of the negotiations for the next pricing scheme will be pivotal to the future of our industry. We must get this right. And we cannot forget that the consequences will reach far beyond our industry - this will affect the NHS [National Health Service], the economy and, most importantly, patients. The government recently acknowledged that the uptake of new medicines is key to growth - now we need to ensure this acknowledgment is recognised in the next pricing scheme agreement.”

He continued: “Innovation of all kinds needs to be encouraged and rewarded. The medicines developed by our industry should not be thought of as a cost, but as an investment: their application underpins the NHS; investment in research and development stimulates economic growth; and of course, their use in patients saves and improves lives, every day. Negotiating on behalf of industry, the ABPI will do all it can to ensure that we are recognized and rewarded for the work we do and the medicines we produce. The UK already has among the lowest medicine prices in Europe, and we need the UK to be seen as a prime location for investment - now more than ever.”