Drug giants threaten NHS with legal action over cheaper drug that could save £84m a year

Using cheaper version of drug effective against blindness is preferable to cost-cutting measures such as rationing, say NHS commissionersTwo multinational drug companies are threatening legal action to prevent patients being offered a cheap version of an effective drug against blindness which could save the NHS millions of pounds.Twelve NHS clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in the north-east of England say that saving money by buying a safe and effective – but 10 times cheaper – version of the licensed drug forwet macular degeneration is far preferable to cutting costs in other ways, for instance by rationing fertility treatment or cataract operations.Continue reading...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: NHS Pharmaceuticals industry Drugs Health Society Science Blindness and visual impairment Source Type: news