PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 695, p2 - 1 Feb 2014 Where you live determines access to drugs in England There is substantial variation in patients’ access to medicines across England, according to a report by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC). As a result the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) is calling for the NHS to address the unexplained variation through the development of local action plans. The report, entitled the ‘Use of NICE-appraised medicines in the NHS in England’ found that the use of effective new medicines, such as denosumab to treat osteoporosis, varies by ten-fold in different areas of the country. Of note, for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation, the variation in the use of rivaroxaban and dabigatran is as much as 29-fold. It was also found that about one-third of drug groups assessed by NICE were below the expected usage; for example, one in three patients with metastatic renal cancer who were eligible for treatment with either sunitinib or pazopanib did not receive these treatments because of where they lived. Commenting on the data, ABPI Chief Executive, Stephen Whitehead, said that "the report is a stark reminder that where you live in England still has an impact on your access to new NICE-approved medicines, which clearly needs to be addressed urgently by the NHS". Health and Social Care Information Centre. New data reveals substantial variation in patients’ access to medicines across England. Media Release : 21 Jan 2014. Available from: URL: http://www.hscic.gov.uk 809158695 1 PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 1 Feb 2014 No. 695 1173-5503/14/0695-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2014 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved

Where you live determines access to drugs in England

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PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 695, p2 - 1 Feb 2014

Where you live determines accessto drugs in England

There is substantial variation in patients’ access tomedicines across England, according to a report by theHealth and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC). As aresult the Association of the British PharmaceuticalIndustry (ABPI) is calling for the NHS to address theunexplained variation through the development of localaction plans.

The report, entitled the ‘Use of NICE-appraisedmedicines in the NHS in England’ found that the use ofeffective new medicines, such as denosumab to treatosteoporosis, varies by ten-fold in different areas of thecountry. Of note, for stroke prevention in patients withatrial fibrillation, the variation in the use of rivaroxabanand dabigatran is as much as 29-fold. It was also foundthat about one-third of drug groups assessed by NICEwere below the expected usage; for example, one inthree patients with metastatic renal cancer who wereeligible for treatment with either sunitinib or pazopanibdid not receive these treatments because of where theylived.

Commenting on the data, ABPI Chief Executive,Stephen Whitehead, said that "the report is a starkreminder that where you live in England still has animpact on your access to new NICE-approvedmedicines, which clearly needs to be addressed urgentlyby the NHS".Health and Social Care Information Centre. New data reveals substantial variationin patients’ access to medicines across England. Media Release : 21 Jan 2014.Available from: URL: http://www.hscic.gov.uk 809158695