NHS replaces highest-spend drug with £300m cheaper alternative

[Northerner]

The NHS is set to make a record-breaking saving after reaching deals with manufacturers on low-cost “biosimilar” versions of its most expensive drug, according to the health service’s chief executive in England.

The deal should save hospitals £300m, which equates to roughly three-quarters of the amount they currently spend, Simon Stevens will announce on Monday.

The saving is the result of the introduction of drugs almost identical to adalimumab, which is prescribed to more than 46,000 patients to treat conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and psoriasis.

https://www.theguardian.com/society...hest-spend-drug-with-300m-cheaper-alternative

 

[mikeyB]

That’s the biggest selling drug worldwide. NICE have fairly strict controls on its use, you do need to have gone through the mill of standard treatments. But because it’s a very effective disease modifier, clinicians like it, even though it is by injection only. It’s used more in the US because there is no cost to the government. Poor folk over there just suffer.

This move is brilliant, it should slacken off the NICE chains on its use. (Well, a biosimilar product). The one test, though, is the new stuff as good?