APSM

N EW White Paper – How Specials can deliver value to the NHS without compromising patient safety. The APSM, Association of Pharmaceutical Specials Manufacturers, has launched a White Paper which for the first time attempts to attribute an economic value to the provision of unlicensed medicines within the NHS.  The paper takes a series of typical patient scenarios where a Special is indicated and then identifies the potential cost to the NHS of attempting to meet patient need with a lower cost, or higher risk alternative.  In all of these cases this additional cost has exceeded that of providing a special and sourcing it according to established guidance. The White Paper was commissioned in the light of growing concern about cost pressures leading to higher risk practice in the supply chain. Striking the balance between cost and quality Specials account for approximately 1% of prescription costs and in recent years, as part of overall pressure on NHS budgets, the c...

The Association of Pharmaceuticals Specials Manufacturers (APSM) has welcomed the recent initiative by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) to introduce guidance for pharmacists preparing unlicensed medicines.  Although extemporaneous preparation (Section 10 exemption) is only intended for use in emergencies, it is nonetheless an essential part of the overall specials supply chain. Patient safety is a priority for all parties concerned and in the past decade we have seen huge investment in process and systems by the Department of Health and Specials Manufacturers alike. This investment, combined with the stringent quality requirements of the MHRA for MS licensed Specials manufacturers, means that the UK specials sector is one of the safest in the world. As GPhC Chief Executive Duncan Rudkin stated, ‘ patients have the right to expect unlicensed medicines to be of the same quality as their licensed equivalents’ .    Through legislation and best practice ...

A November boost and why it’s good for payors, patients and APSM members 29 th October 2013 . In the latest (November) update to the Specials Tariff 51 new products have been added, bringing the total number of specials regulated under the Tariff to 188.   The addition was widely anticipated by the APSM members and includes both larger prescribed specials as well as smaller volume specials. Although there are potentially thousands of different formulations of specials, the top 500 (by value) account for 96% of all spend.   It is these 500 where much of the focus has been and now around half of the Top 100 specials are captured in the Tariff.     Amongst the latest round of changes more than half are in the Top 500 and represent around 3,500 prescriptions each quarter.  Says the APSM, “Creating a workable Tariff for specials was not an easy process. Partly due to the sheer variety and number of formulations involved, but also because of the highly be...

APSM launch results of 2013 Specials Survey When it comes to dispensing Specials, pharmacists are as likely to refer to CCG (PCT) advice as to their own RPS Guidelines on best practice.   This is clear evidence of the continued and increasing pressure by CCGs (PCTs) to focus on cost, even though the overall Specials bill has decreased by 25% 1 since the introduction of the Specials Tariff in November 2011.  A survey conducted by the Association of Pharmaceutical Specials Manufacturers in June 2013 explored the attitudes of 200 pharmacists into various aspects of the Specials sector and compared the results with a similar survey conducted in 2012.    A year ago, pharmacists were most likely to refer to a GP for advice about a Specials prescription (49.5%).   However, in 2013 pharmacists ranked CCGs (PCTs) their first source of advice (52.5%) - a significant increase from 46.5% in the previous year.   The poll of pharmacists went on to sta...