APSM

Please click here to view this PJ Online article published 08.09.2011

Please click here to view this PJ Online article published 17/02/2011

25th January 2011 Following a recent article in the Daily Mail the ACSM, Association of Commercial Specials Manufacturers, is keen to reassure patients of the need for specials or unlicensed medicines.    The article raised questions about the necessity of providing specially prepared liquid forms of common medicines for some patients.   Although the ACSM cannot comment on the details of the drug preparation in the article, in general, unlicensed medicines are prescribed by a doctor to meet a patient’s specific clinical need, for example, allergy to drug excipients or inability to swallow.   In these instances a doctor may decide to prescribe a special if there is no licensed alternative available to give to the patient.   Splitting and crushing tablets is not a satisfactory alternative as it does not always result in the patient receiving the correct formulation leading to a patient getting a much higher or much lower dose than is prescribed. ...

The ACSM, whose members produce a large proportion of the Specials manufactured in the UK, acknowledges that change is needed within the market and in the last year the ACSM has been consulting with the Department of Health (DH) about a method of controlling the cost of Specials that doesn't compromise the supply to vulnerable patients. Specials manufacturers in the UK have therefore welcomed the decision (August 19th) by the MHRA to allow manufacturers of unlicensed medicines (specials) to publish price lists. The ACSM, Association of Commercials Specials Manufacturers, believes the move will lead to greater transparency within the sector and help eliminate the practice of excessive price inflation within the distribution chain which has affected the industry‟s reputation in recent months. Specials account for less than 1% of prescriptions, but until now, legislation has prohibited manufacturers from providing any information to healthcare professionals about the unlicensed pro...