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www.fdanews.com/articles/72617-uk-health-reforms-pose-challenges-for-drugmakers

UK Health Reforms Pose Challenges for Drugmakers

May 24, 2005

The newly re-elected UK government has pledged to continue to expand the role of the private sector in the country's socialised medicine system, the National Health Service (NHS). Incoming health minister Patricia Hewitt recently outlined plans to expand the number of private sector surgical interventions from 5% of all operations to between 10% and 15%. Approximately GBP3bn (US$5.5bn) has been allocated for these private contracts, affecting roughly 1.7mn individual procedures.

Meanwhile, in a trend that is less likely to be welcomed by drugmakers, new research indicates that only a minority of England's 302 localised healthcare providers, known as Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), operate pharmaceuticals prescribing lists adequately.

Roughly 20% of the PCTs' budget is earmarked for pharmaceuticals, although procedures for including drugs on the list are judged to be less than transparent. The study shows that just 16% of PCTs have a large, well-informed prescribing team, and only 20% of PCTs have formularies in the first instance. Meanwhile, a third of PCTs are behind schedule on using local pharmacists to advise on formulary matters, which is seen as a further innovative strategy to boost the private sector's role.