§ Mr. Peter BradleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what was the estimated additional cost to the NHS of the use of branded drugs to generic drugs on the NHS category D list for the periods(a) June 1998 and (b) June 1999, assuming average dispensing levels for such drugs; [90054]
(2) what was the cost differential between the branded and generic versions of the drugs which appeared in the most recent NHS category D list. [90053]
§ Mr. DenhamGeneric drugs are included in Category D of Part VIII of the Drug Tariff when community pharmacies are having difficulty obtaining supplies at the Drug Tariff price. Inclusion in Category D means that the price reimbursed to the pharmacy will be either the Drug Tariff price or, if the prescription is appropriately endorsed, the list price of the supplier from whom the drug was purchased. In some cases it may be necessary for the pharmacy to purchase a branded equivalent. for 29W many of the drugs concerned there will be a wide range of suppliers—in some cases both branded and generic—and hence prices. This means that calculating the thousands of permutations of price differential between the various branded versions and their many generic equivalents could be done only at disproportionate cost.