Tories to shame patients with cost of NHS drugs

[dutchman]

Prescription medicines will be labelled by price and marked "funded by taxpayers" from next year, under controversial new plans to reduce costs in the NHS.



Health secretary Jeremy Hunt said in a speech today that patients need to take "more personal responsibility for use of precious public resources."

"There is no such thing as a free health service," he told the Local Government Association conference.

"We spend £300 million a year on wasted medicines. People who use our services need to know that in the end they pay the price for this waste.

"So today I can announce that we intend to publish the indicative medicine costs to the NHS on the packs of all medicines costing more than £20, which will also be marked 'funded by the UK taxpayer'

Hunt believes this will "reduce waste by reminding people of the cost of medicine".

However, he is likely to face claims that the change is designed to undermine support for the NHS.

Concerns have previously been expressed that indicative charges could discourage some patients from using medicines prescribed to them.

[rebbonk]

Sadly, this doesn't address the government overpaying for drugs because of its ridiculous purchasing policies.

[dutchman]

The Tories are kidding no one, this is just the first step towards charging the full price for all prescriptions.

[rebbonk]

Interestingly, many drugs are actually cheaper than the prescription price. Will they allow these to be bought cheaper? - No, I thought not!

[rebbonk]

Actually, the more I read this article the angrier I become.

We pay National Insurance for this, it's hardly our fault that the government (of any colour) can't run a proverbial in a brewery.

The whole idea is actually very offensive. What about those taking expensive cancer drugs? What about those with inherited diseases? This is yet more stigmatising/demonising of the sick and the weak in society. It really is a sad world that we're living in.

[dutchman]

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style ... 44508.html

Plan to put price tag on NHS medicines is a 'headline-grabbing gimmick', says journal

Jeremy Hunt’s plan to include the price tag on medicines issued by the NHS is a “headline-grabbing gimmick” with no evidence to suggest it will reduce waste, a leading pharmaceuticals journal has said.

The Government wants all medicines costing more than £20 to carry a price tag alongside the words “funded by the UK taxpayer” to encourage people not to let their drugs expire, and to adhere to treatment regimes.

However, an editorial in the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin, said that experts are “unaware” of any evidence to suggest the plan would work, and warns that it could lead to vulnerable and elderly patients viewing the cost of their medicine as a “burden on society”.

“Adherence can be a problem even for people who make a financial commitment by paying for their prescriptions,” the journal’s editors write. “We are concerned that labelling medicines with their cost may result in some unintended consequences and worry patients.”