The UK pharma industry body has set out bold proposals for a new drug pricing agreement from 2024, but not everyone is convinced. Generics companies are pressing for more of a say in the negotiations, while patient groups want to know more about how the deal would help improve access to medicines.

Companies that chose to stay in the UK’s voluntary pricing scheme (VPAS) could be entitled to a refund on their rebate payments, while those that have left may end up paying more.

Some of the rebates paid by drug companies to the government on their sales of medicines could be placed in a central fund to pay for drugs of “demonstrable benefit,” according to Andrew Dillon.

Accepting the pharmaceutical industry’s request to keep the statutory scheme rebate rate at its current rate this year could cost the government dearly, but raising it as planned could be detrimental for UK life sciences.

Agreement of deals that promise better value for money and enhanced patient access to new treatments has become routine in England, but are they delivering?

The pharmaceutical industry and the UK government are beginning a series of discussions on the shape of the future voluntary drug pricing and access scheme (VPAS), ahead of the formal negotiations that are scheduled to start in April.