§ Mr. David NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the criteria by which a company is assessed for inclusion within the pharmaceutical price regulation scheme.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe pharmaceutical price regulation scheme is a voluntary agreement between the Health Departments and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical industry. It is intended to apply to all companies supplying national health service medicines which are prescribed by medical or dental practitioners.
The term "national health service medicines" refers to any human pharmaceutical product which is marketed under a specific brand name. The agreement therefore does not cover pharmaceutical products which are sold under their generic title, nor packs which are predominately intended for sale to the public without a prescription.