§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the current annual average cost of treating an adult, following a transplant, with cyclosporin as the main immunosuppressive agent; what are the cost trends in the administration of the drug; if he has any plans to seek to reduce the cost; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HayhoeThe average annual cost of treatment with cyclosporin of patients who have received an organ transplant will be dependent upon the individual clinical management of the patients concerned. I regret that the detailed relevant information is not collected or recorded centrally. However, it is estimated that the current average annual cost of treatment per patient with cyclosporin in the first year post-transplant is approximately £2,000. It is not possible to be more precise as dosage used varies from transplant unit to unit and patient to patient. The current maintenance cost is in the range £1,600 per patient per annum.
The annual dosage has fallen by approximately 20 per cent. since the drug was launched in 1983 as better understanding of its use has been gained. The annual cost of the drug per patient has therefore fallen considerably and it is anticipated that costs will continue to decline in the future.
§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report the cost of a standard unit or dose of cyclosporin in 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1985; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HayhoeCyclosporin was launched in the United Kingdom in 1983. Since then its list price has been as follows:
Type Strength mg/ml Quantity Price £ 1ml ampoule 50 10 16.24 5ml ampoule 50 10 77.15 Oral solution 50ml 100 1 105.00 Contract prices to hospitals will be somewhat less.