Medicines and vaccines are some of the most important ways we have to fight disease on a global scale and keep people fit and healthy.
The UK has robust measures in place to ensure that medicines and vaccines are both clinically and cost effective before they can be used in the NHS.
The 2019 Voluntary Scheme ‘VPAS’ is a commitment by industry, the NHS and Government to support innovation for the benefit of patients across the UK.
Once a new medicine is no longer covered by a patent it can be manufactured by any company around the world.
The UK is a world leader in pharmaceutical research and development, and it is vital that NHS patients are able to access the latest treatments as fast as patients in other countries.
With 7,000 medicines and vaccines in the global pipeline, the future of health looks exciting. The pharmaceutical industry is pioneering new treatments and new technologies that will change the face of modern medicine.
Scotland receives superb value from the latest medicines and vaccines thanks to robust measures which ensure NHS Scotland uses treatments that are both cost and clinically effective.
The UK has a number of different mechanisms for ensuring value for money and cost control in the NHS. In addition to NICE which evaluates cost-effectiveness, the Pharmaceutical Pricing Regulation Scheme (PPRS) helps controls the amount the NHS spends on new medicines.