DoH and BGMA announce joint generics initiative
Will look at IP, evergreening, patent law, exclusivity and regulation, among other issues
The Department of Health and the British Generic Manufacturers Association (BGMA) have announced a joint initiative to explore potential challenges to the sustainability of the generic pharmaceutical industry in England.
Based on proposals in an action plan from the BGMA entitled Sustainability: Generics and the NHS, the DoH will facilitate conversations across government to understand issues and to identify where appropriate action can be taken.
The partnership will look at topics including intellectual property; ‘evergreening’, which disrupts the balance between competition and exclusivity, making it more commercially attractive for originators to extend the exclusivity on their older products than to develop new ones; patent law; exclusivity; the development and implementation of regulation; pricing and reimbursement; prescribing and dispensing rules and advice; and industrial policy.
Announcing the initiative at the BGMA’s annual general meeting this week, Michael Cann, chairman of the Association, said the UK’s prices are currently among the lowest in Europe, if not the world, and that the sector is seeing greater margin pressure from its customers.
‘Competitive, yet reasonable prices are required if we are to fund the necessary development of the more complex medicines, including biosimilars, that our industry needs to develop if we are to continue to make the contribution that we do now. And we need to ensure the continuation of our current vibrant, competitive multi-source market to deliver these benefits,’ he said.
‘The European Commission’s sector inquiry identified a number of barriers, and our own work and the commentaries of others have added to the list. It is right therefore as an industry that we should work with the Government to look holistically at the generic pharmaceutical marketplace to ensure that it is as efficient as possible.’
Health Minister Lord Howe added that prescribing generic medicines, where appropriate, helps ensure better value for money for both the NHS and the taxpayer.
‘The NHS continues to improve the way it utilises its resources and promoting the widespread use of generic medicines is one of several robust measures the Government has put in place to make sure we get the best value from what the NHS spends on drugs. This will create savings, which will in turn be invested in new and innovative treatments for patients,’ he said.
‘We will work with the BGMA to help take forward their work on tackling the challenges to the generic medicines industry,’ he added.
