Group items matching

in title, tags, annotations or url

The British Generic Manufacturers Association (BGMA) has sought a judicial review of the Department of Health and Social Care's (DHSC) decision to negotiate a new Voluntary Scheme for branded medicines with the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI). Mark Samuels, Chief Executive of BGMA said: "The Government has decided not to involve the trade body representing these medicine suppliers in its negotiations on the voluntary scheme for branded medicine pricing (VPAS). "We are deeply concerned by this decision. It has left us no choice but to take legal action." "While not all generic drugs fall within VPAS, four out of ten products in the current scheme are branded generics or biosimilars. As the representative trade body for both generic and biosimilar UK manufacturers, we must play a full part in the VPAS negotiations for the next period of the scheme from 2024 to 2028." "The VPAS tax has risen five-fold in under two years, an unprecedented tax increase. Yet our sector currently has no input into the negotiations on future schemes or rates; this is untenable as any decisions made on VPAS could significantly define the future of our sector in the UK and its ability to supply the NHS. The association had raised its full participation in the negotiations with the Government last November.

The Health and Social Care Committee (HSCC) has announced the appointment of six specialists to scrutinise the government's progress made on its commitments to pharmacy services in England on Wednesday (26 April). "They will work alongside the core members of the Expert Panel to produce a report evaluating Government progress across nine of the Government's own commitments across the four areas. A CQC-style rating from "inadequate" to "outstanding" will be awarded against each specific pledge with a final overall rating given," said DHSC. Professor Dame Jane Dacre, Chair of the Expert Panel, said: "The role of pharmacy in delivering care whether in hospital, the community or primary care has never been more important. "The Government has made a number of commitments aimed at improving pharmacy services and we'll be looking at the progress to achieve these targets. "In the process of our evaluation we'll be hearing from stakeholders from across the industry, including the pharmacy workforce and NHS and independent providers of pharmacy services. We'll be considering pledges covering frontline services as well as the education and training of the workforce." National Pharmacy Association (NPA) chief executive, Mark Lyonette, is one of six panel members with specialist expertise in pharmacy. They will work alongside five standing members who are all renowned healthcare policy experts and professionals. Professor Dame Jane Dacre will chair.

The pharmacy bodies have welcomed Health Select Committee's inquiry into pharmacy services and are calling the community pharmacies to engage fully. On Thursday (8 June), MPs launched a new inquiry to examine the 'readiness of pharmacy services'. At the end of the inquiry, the committee will be making recommendations to the government on what action needs to be taken to ensure the potential of pharmacy is realised. It is currently seeking views and evidence from anyone who can answer any or some of the questions listed here by Thursday 6 July. National Pharmacy Association (NPA), Company Chemists' Association (CCA) and Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) have confirmed that they will be submitting the written evidence. RPS said it will be submitting written evidence, and if they are called to give oral evidence they'll do so. Malcolm Harrison, Chief Executive of the CCA commented: "We welcome the Health Committee's much-awaited inquiry into pharmacy. Whilst the recent announcement of investment into the sector is welcome, this is new money for new activity. The historic underfunding of community pharmacy remains, and Primary Care Networks (PCNs) continue to directly recruit community pharmacists.

The government has earmarked £200 million to enhance NHS resilience and expedite patient care during the upcoming winter season. This extra amount will bolster the health service during its busiest period, while protecting elective care so we can keep cutting waiting lists, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said. On August 13, the Prime Minister and Health and Social Care Secretary met with clinical leaders and NHS Chiefs to strategise and refine planning for urgent and emergency care, while prioritising the preservation of waiting list targets for the upcoming winter season. "Patients can be reassured that I will always back the NHS, so that those who most need help and support will get the care they need," Sunak said. "Winter is the most challenging time for the health service, which is why we've been planning for it all year - with huge government investment to fund new ambulances, beds and virtual wards." "This £200 million investment, assured by the Department of Health and Social Care as new and additional funding, should aid NHS leaders in their preparations and mitigation for what will be a seriously difficult winter period," said Matthew Taylor, Chief Executive of NHS Confederation. "The priority now is swift allocation of funding to local systems for optimal utilisation."

AAH Pharmaceuticals on Tuesday (November 15) announced the promotion of its commercial director David Bound to chief executive officer of the company. In his 10 years in the company, Mr Bound has helped to drive growth across the AAH business, implementing new digital channels for customers, and developing strategic partnerships with pharmaceutical manufacturers - drawing on from his vast experience in the healthcare industry, as well as in supply chain, operations, and trading. Commenting on his promotion, he said: "I'm delighted to be taking on this role at such a critical time for healthcare. There are many challenges affecting the industry right now - from inflationary pressures to workforce issues - and I'm looking forward to tackling them head-on alongside my excellent team."

Ceuta Group, a global brand building business providing end-to-end outsourcing services in the health and wellness industry has appointed David Wright as a non-executive board director. With extensive experience of leading global consumer healthcare companies, David joins Ceuta Group following five years as CEO/President of global pharmaceutical company, HRA Pharma and six years as Global Head of Boehringer Ingelheim's consumer business. During his time at HRA Pharma and Boehringer Ingelheim GmBH, David led both companies through substantial organisational and strategy re-design which led to sustainable growth and profitability. The company said: "David has a strong belief that combining the right structure, operational priorities and processes, with a strong focus on company culture, are critical factors in building successful businesses. This approach saw him lead a period of transformation at HRA Pharma resulting in the company's successful acquisition by Perrigo Company plc." David will take an active role on the Ceuta Group Board supporting and building the company's strategic vision and priorities. He will also help shape the company's growth plans on an operational level to ensure Ceuta Group continues to meet client's needs today and into the future.

AAH Pharmaceuticals Ltd (AAH) has exceeded the milestone of delivering over 70 million COVID-19 vaccination doses across England, since it was awarded a contract in December 2020. In addition, AAH has delivered over 100 million ancillary items to more than 3,000 healthcare providers. David Bound, chief executive officer of AAH, said: "This is a huge milestone for AAH as we work tirelessly to support our communities. It's also a ringing endorsement of our delivery drivers, warehouse operatives, and specialist logistics teams and the determination, dedication, and passion they continue to show throughout this extraordinary period." The vaccination programme was also recognized by the Supply Chain Excellence Awards. Chris Emmott, senior project lead - Supply Chain, commented: "I'm incredibly proud that AAH was chosen for this job, particularly as we had the skills, the experience, and a great team to help facilitate the needs of the country. To get ready for a project like this, everybody's worked very long hours, they've worked weekends to get everything ready.

Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca will acquire biotechnology company Neogene Therapeutics for up to $320 million, the London-listed drugmaker said on Tuesday (November 29) as it seeks to build its pipeline of cell-based cancer treatments. Though AstraZeneca's oncology portfolio accounted for more than a third of the company's revenue last year, it does not have an approved cell-based cancer therapy and is behind rivals such as Novartis and Gilead. "Neogene's leading (T-cell receptor) discovery capabilities and extensive manufacturing experience complement the cell therapy capability we have built over the last three years," said Susan Galbraith, AstraZeneca's executive vice president of oncology research. Cell-based treatments are a relatively new approach to treating cancer, most of which involve drawing the body's own immune cells and processing them in the lab to target and kill cancer cells. Neogene's approach goes one step further in that its experimental T-cell receptor therapies seek to target DNA mutations specific to tumours, not only certain proteins on the surface of cancer cells.

The first big breakthrough in 30 years of Alzheimer's research is providing momentum for clinical trials of "cocktail" treatments targeting the two hallmark proteins associated with the mind-robbing disease, according to interviews with researchers and pharmaceutical executives. Drugmakers Eisai and Biogen reported in September that their therapy lecanemab could slow progress of the disease by 27% over 18 months compared with a placebo. The finding validates the theory that clearing the amyloid protein that forms clumps in the brains of Alzheimer's patients could slow or halt the disease and has strengthened the support from some scientists for simultaneously targeting another notorious protein linked to Alzheimer's: tau. Eisai and Biogen are scheduled to present full data from their lecanemab study on Tuesday at the Clinical Trials on Alzheimer's Disease conference in San Francisco. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to make a decision by early January on the companies' application for accelerated approval. If approved on an accelerated basis, the companies said they would immediately apply for full U.S. regulatory approval which could help secure Medicare coverage.

A total of 525 candidates have passed the common registration assessment for pharmacists held in November, the regulators GPhC and PSNI have announced on Tuesday. With 937 candidates sitting for the registration assessment, held jointly by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI) on 3 November, the pass rate was 56 per cent, down from the 61 per cent for the Autumn 2021. Among the GPhC candidates, 59 per cent were sitting for the first time, 30 per cent for the second time and 8 per cent for the third time. (The break-up was not available for the 3 per cent PSNI candidates.) In comparison, for the June sitting 89 per cent of candidates were sitting for the first time, 7 per cent were sitting for the second time and 4 per cent were sitting for the third time. "We would like to congratulate the successful candidates and we look forward to them joining our register and continuing to the next stage of their career," Duncan Rudkin, GPhC chief executive said.

Trade bodies have reiterated the call for more funding in response to the reports that ministers are considering a Pharmacy First scheme amid the NHS strike. The Sunday Telegraph reported that pharmacies could be drafted in to help the NHS to cope when other healthcare workers take industrial action. But, a PSNC committee member has warned on Monday that the government suggestions are "categorically impossible" without extra funding. The Company Chemists' Association (CCA) has echoed the sentiment, saying pharmacy network is on the brink of collapse. "We welcome plans for a Pharmacy First scheme in England. However, after eight years of funding cuts, the pressures on community pharmacies are simply untenable," Malcolm Harrison, chief executive of the CCA, said.

Pharmacy bodies are "bitterly disappointed" that the latest deal on the national contract makes no commitment to "fresh funding", with one organisation calling it "the biggest dis-service ever done" to community pharmacy. The only commitment made in monetary terms was one in which NHS England agreed to write off a sum of £100m in excess margin earned by contractors in previous years. This allowance, which can't be seen as new cash injection, was said to have been made in recognition of the pressures facing the sector. The figure - reached after what the the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee called "a tense period of negotiations" with the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England - will cover the final two years of the current five-year Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework. The deal was announced by PSNC chief executive Janet Morrison at an annual LPC Conference in Manchester on Thursday (22 September). Welcoming the attendees, she assured everyone that the committee was well aware of the pressures the sector was facing. "I heard how contractors are feeling and their frustrations over growing pressure and lack of financial support from the government. They confirmed that many now are unable to deliver the full range of services, and others are struggling to maintain core levels of services. And the ongoing impact of capacity and workforce crisis is critical, leading to temporary closures.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has appointed Laura Wilson as Director for Scotland commencing 23rd January 2023. Laura, is currently Policy and Practice Lead for RPS in Scotland. She is accountable for bringing national RPS policy to life for members in Scotland, while contributing to the GB wide professional leadership agenda. She will work closely with the Scottish Pharmacy Board, senior NHS officials and other key stakeholders across the breadth of the pharmacy profession and beyond to ensure pharmacy is on the forefront of healthcare in Scotland. She joins the existing team of RPS Country Directors, which includes Elen Jones, Director for Wales and James Davies, Director for England and will report directly to the Chief Executive. Laura Wilson said: "I am delighted to be appointed Director for Scotland having worked as part of the RPS Scotland team as the policy and practice lead. It will be an honour to continue the fantastic work started by former Director Clare Morrison to bring Pharmacy 2030, our vision for pharmacy in Scotland in the future, to life and supporting pharmacy teams to deliver person centred care.

The leading pharmacy bodies have come together to launch the 'Save Our Pharmacies' campaign which highlights the pressure and untapped potential of the sector. Pharmacy bodies- Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies (AIMp), Company Chemists' Association (CCA), National Pharmacy Association (NPA) and Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) have agreed to work together on a programme of activities to lobby for fair NHS funding for pharmacies in England, including co-ordinating efforts to mobilise public support. The campaign will focus on highlighting both the pressures that pharmacies are under and the huge untapped potential of the sector - including to offer a Pharmacy First service - if appropriate resourcing is made available. Mark Lyonette, NPA Chief executive, said: "Together we will be cranking up the noise to persuade Government and NHS to make the right choices and back the community pharmacy sector with decent funding. Maintaining patient and public support is critical to our campaigning success, so this will be a key focus in the months ahead. Our joint message is very clear: pharmacies can help get the NHS back on its feet, but not while the sector itself is on its knees." The pharmacy bodies will develop shared resources for effective parliamentary lobbying and mobilising public opinion, in the face of chronic underfunding that threatens further pharmacy closures. They will also work hard to show off the value of pharmacy and to continue pushing for a fully funded Pharmacy First service.

AmerisourceBergen, a leading pharmaceutical solutions organisation announced its intent to change its name to 'Cencora' to better reflect its bold vision and purpose-driven approach to creating healthier futures. Steven H. Collis, Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer of AmerisourceBergen said: "Over time, we have established ourselves as a trusted industry partner that prioritizes innovation, advocates for patient access and advances strategic partnerships across the global pharmaceutical supply chain. To further bolster our position, we must continue to adapt and evolve within our dynamic industry as we pursue the goal of enhancing health outcomes. Building a unified brand is fundamental to our identity as a global healthcare company. We believe our new name better reflects who we are today and our impact across pharmaceutical care." AmerisourceBergen intends to begin operating as Cencora in the second half of calendar year 2023. The change to Cencora is aligned with the organisation's growth strategy and continued emphasis on innovation. AmerisourceBergen has focused on supporting pharmaceutical advancement and access for patients, manufacturers, and providers across the global healthcare supply chain.

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) on Thursday (February 2) called for the government to scrap its plans to raise the repayment rates for drugmakers, to avoid possible setbacks in the sector. Drugmakers that are part of the government's voluntary scheme agreement, which makes branded medicines affordable for people, are required to pay a part of their drug revenue to the government. The Department of Health and Social Care plans to raise the revenue clawback rate to 27.5 per cent from 24.5 per cent. The country's ongoing attempt to raise rates is likely to send the "worst possible signal" to global investors and boardrooms, said the ABPI. "Hiking these clawbacks to such uncompetitive levels risks undermining the UK's offer to global life sciences companies," Richard Torbett, chief executive of the ABPI, said in a statement. Pharmaceuticals giants AbbVie and Eli Lilly withdrew from the UK's voluntary drug pricing agreement in January after the repayment rates surged to 26.5 per cent.

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has announced that Pinder Sahota has decided to step down as President of the ABPI. ABPI stated that he has made this decision to "avoid an ongoing process around a Novo Nordisk ABPI Code of Practice breach becoming a distraction from the vital work of the ABPI". Richard Torbett, Chief Executive, ABPI, said: "Pinder is a passionate advocate for the industry, and I want to thank him for his valuable contribution as ABPI President. "I fully respect Pinder's decision to step down as ABPI President which will in no way affect the ongoing case relating to Novo Nordisk. Any breach of the ABPI Code is taken extremely seriously and it is essential that all regulatory actions are robust, fair and transparent." ABPI Vice-President, Susan Rienow, Country President of Pfizer, will temporarily take on the roles and responsibilities of the ABPI President until a new President is chosen by the ABPI Board.

The Pharmaceutical Society NI (PSNI)'s Council has decided to freeze the annual registration fee for the current financial year 2023/24. The annual registration fee is considered each year by the PSNI's council. At its meeting in November 2022, Council members in recognition of the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, the personal and professional impact of the cost of living crisis on pharmacists, and the overall cost of regulation agreed to maintain registration fees at their current level for the next financial year. Pharmaceutical Society NI's Chief Executive Michaela McAleer said: "I am pleased with Council's decision to continue the freeze on registration fees for the 7th successive year. We are acutely aware of the pressures facing the pharmacy profession and hope this can provide some reassurance to the profession as we deal with these financially difficult times.

HRA pharma has announced the resignation of David Wright who moves on after serving the company for more than five years as chief executive officer. The company has appointed Martyn Hilton, chief commercial officer for HRA Pharma, as interim CEO effective from September 1, 2022. David helmed the company during a period of transformation and set the course for its tremendous growth, elevating HRA Pharma into a leading provider of over-the-counter self-care products. He commented: "Given the significant progress HRA has made, along with my personal goals after leading HRA for more than five years, I believe now is the time to step away from the business. "I am proud of all that we have accomplished, making HRA well-known for its Women's Health, Wound Care and Scar Care leadership, operating via brands including ellaOne, Hana, Compeed and Mederma. I appreciate all the team members involved in the success of the organization and believe Perrigo and HRA are well-positioned to elevate this business and these brands to the next level."

Britain has become the first country to approve a Codiv-19 vaccine that targets both the original and Omicron variant of the virus. Medicines regulator MHRA approved the so-called bivalent vaccine made by US drug company Moderna as a booster for adults. The agency's decision was based on clinical trial data that showed the booster triggered "a strong immune response" against both Omicron (BA.1) and the original 2020 virus, it said. The MHRA also cited an exploratory analysis in which the shot was also found to generate a good immune response against the currently dominant Omicron offshoots BA.4 and BA.5. "The first generation of Covid-19 vaccines being used in the UK continue to provide important protection against the disease and save lives," MHRA chief executive June Raine said in a statement. "What this bivalent vaccine gives us is a sharpened tool in our armoury to help protect us against this disease as the virus continues to evolve."