UNISON, the UK’s largest health union, is calling for action to challenge the grip that the pharmaceutical industry has on the NHS. The call comes in the wake of information showing that they are involved in bankrolling legal cases by individuals and charities for drugs funding. The union is calling for an extensive debate covering the cost, the lengthy monopolistic patents, and value for money for effective drugs. The union is also pointing to the lack of development of drugs by pharmaceutical companies that would provide cheaper alternatives to current medicine.
Karen Jennings, UNISON Head of Health, said: “It’s time for us as patients, staff and supporters of the NHS to use our collective force to overturn the current orthodoxy of letting the market set the agenda. These giant pharmaceutical companies are using their profits to litigate against the NHS and fund charities in expensive court battles over access to their drugs.“
The NHS is facing difficult challenges around funding of drugs, but patients and taxpayers need to know they are getting value for money. It is time to confront the pharmaceuticals industry and, if their products are rejected by NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) on the grounds of cost-effectiveness, tell them to lower their prices, instead of bankrolling expensive legal battles.
“Drug companies spend vast sums of money providing promotional seminars and inducements to doctors and other health workers; spending more on marketing than they do on research.“
Like so many of our global companies the element of social responsibility is sorely lacking. We need to widen the remit of NICE to enable them to challenge the astronomical costs charged by pharmaceutical companies for their drugs.
2 comments:
Exccellent post. Fully supportive of the comments fron Unison.
There will be much stress on the governments funds over the next few years so it is vital that the charges and fees levied by the drug companies are in line with what we can afford.
maybe a 15% cut in the payment price for all drugs for a start.
The funding of charities as a front to put pressure on NICE to recommend new drugs and treatments in nausious.
If we are not careful we will be heading down the road of TV adverts for prescription drugs. That would be very bad.
Series 2, episode 3 of an Australian TV series The Hollowmen was about this very topic.
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