The Department of Health (DoH) has published a consultation into a proposed move towards prescribing more generic medicines under the NHS, rather than more familiar brands.

The DoH set out three possible courses of action regarding the practice of using cheaper generic drugs, which GPs could elect to prescribe in place of more expensive branded alternatives. The drugs would essentially be the same, but for patients taking medications long-term for chronic conditions, the packaging might look different from their previous branded medication.

The DoH committed to using more generic drugs subject to consultation under the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme 2009. Substituting a generic drug for a branded drug would only be allowed when considered safe, however. There will also be a notice period before any policy is implemented.

In the consultation document, the department said that the health service could opt to make no changes to the current practice of prescribing branded drugs alongside cheaper generics – or might use more generics under the NHS, but with a list of exemptions for branded drugs, according to whether the patient would derive more clinical benefit from a branded version.

Alternatively, the NHS might prescribe a generic version for a select group of drugs only, rather than use a branded version.

Health Minister Mike O’Brien said that introducing generic medicine substitutions would deliver ‘value for money’ – and the savings would go directly back into the NHS to benefit patients and improve care.

The proposals also suggest more flexibility in the prescribing of drugs, with GPs and other prescribers being able to specify whether a patient should receive a generic or branded drug. If no stipulation is made on the prescription, pharmacists would be able to opt for supplying a generic version of a drug, rather than a more expensive brand.

Mr O’Brien said:

‘Where clinically appropriate, it is only sensible to allow more expensive branded products to be substituted with the same generic medicines which are just as effective as the branded version.

‘We want to make sure that patients and taxpayers are getting the best medicines at the best price.’

Mr O’Brien added that patient safety would remain ‘a top priority’ if any changes to prescribing were made. He added that the consultation included options to ensure patient safety by possibly capping the amount of generic drugs used in the NHS – as well as allowing prescribers to opt out if they needed a more tailored approach to treating an individual patient using a specific version of a drug because of clinical need or the patient’s medical history.

The 12-week consultation closes on 30 March and members of the public and patients are invited to give their views. More details are available at www.dh.gov.uk/en/Consultations/index.htm.

Details of special consultation events will be announced on the Primary Care Commissioning website (www.pcc.nhs.uk/events).

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