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  • The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry
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  • The Voluntary Scheme on branded medicines

What is the new Voluntary Scheme on branded medicines?

The new 2019 Voluntary Scheme ‘VPAS’ is a commitment by industry, the NHS and Government to support innovation for the benefit of patients across the UK. 

This scheme strikes a balance between supporting innovation in the pharmaceutical industry, helping to get the most cost-effective medicines to patients as quickly as possible, and ensuring complete predictability on spend for the entire branded medicines bill for the NHS.

The VPAS means that the branded medicines bill will not grow by more than 2% in any of the next 5 years.

This pro-innovation deal is particularly important as the UK leaves the EU. The scheme includes a commitment from NHS England to increase uptake of new medicines for the five highest health gain categories in line with the top performing countries in the world. 

This is a significant step forward and is set to benefit thousands of patients. The ABPI will be working with NHS England to identify these key areas.

All new medicines and significant indications will now routinely be appraised by NICE. This means the NHS in England can have total confidence that every medicine that is approved is both clinically and cost-effective and should be rapidly made available to all eligible patients, without delay.

The scheme supports small and medium sized companies through a new series of exemptions and payment relief to encourage innovation and growth.   

Freedom to set list prices is maintain for new active substances (NAS), along with these products having exemption from payments for three years from the month of licence, starting with products licensed from 1st January 2018.

How medicines are priced in the UK

  • How are new medicines developed?
  • How are medicines priced?
  • The Voluntary Scheme on branded medicines
  • What is the life cycle of a medicine?
  • What is the NICE Methods Review?
  • Improving access to medicine in the UK
  • The future of medicine
  • Supporting innovative medicines funding in Scotland
  • What was the PPRS?

ABPI

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales 
(registered number 09826787) and its registered office is at 7th Floor Southside,105 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6QT.
Telephone +44 (0) 207 9303477

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Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA)

The Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA) was established by The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry to operate the ABPI Code of Practice for the Pharmaceutical Industry independently of the ABPI. The PMCPA is a division of ABPI which is a company registered in England and Wales (registered number 09826787) with its registered office at 7th Floor, Southside, 105 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6QT.

Office of Health Economics (OHE)

The Office of Health Economics (OHE) is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (registered number 09848965) and its registered office is at 7th Floor Southside, 105 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6QT. OHE provides independent research, advisory and consultancy services on policy implications and economic issues within the pharmaceutical, health care and biotechnology sectors.