Drug Tariff News
3rd May 2024 - Source: Amanda Chell
April Drug Tariff News
Q1 (APRIL) CATEGORY M REMOVES 31 ITEMS
The April (Q1 24-25) Category M adjustment has been published.
In summary there are 31 deletions and six additions, leaving a total of 633 lines in Category M.
The six additions are:
| Chloramphenicol 0.5% eye drops |
10ml |
| Oxycodone 10mg/1ml solution for injection ampoules |
5 |
| Phenoxymethylpenicillin 250mg/5ml oral solution sugar free |
100ml |
| Ranolazine 375mg modified-release tablets |
60 tablets |
| Ranolazine 500mg modified-release tablets |
60 tablets |
| Ranolazine 750mg modified-release tablets |
60 tablets |
In total, 256 lines are up in price, 17 by at least 50 per cent. Some 355 lines are down in price, 32 by more than 20 per cent.
Reference DDA website
Drug Tariff Part 8E
There has been a new section added to the April 2024 Drug Tariff. Part 8E lists the items which the Department of Health and Social Care will offer a retrospective top- up price for items on concession where there was a significant underpayment.
Additions to Part 2
There has only been 1 addition to Part 2 in the April Drug Tariff and this addition is the Freestyle Libre 2 Plus Sensor.
Generally, items which fall into Part 2 of the Drug Tariff have no wholesaler discount, you are potentially dispensing at a loss. You may consider sending the prescription away to a local Pharmacy to be dispensed.
Additions to Part 8a
7 items have been added to Part 8a of the April Drug Tariff. Ones which I think you will find of interest are:
- Azathioprine 10mg/ml oral suspension sugar free has gone into the April Drug Tariff, 200ml with the reimbursement price based on Jayempi at £250.00. Currently none of the 3 mainline wholesalers appear to be stocking it. Previously this was listed in Part 8B as a special. Hopefully availability will soon appear.
- Chlorhexidine gluconate 1% solution has gone into the April Drug Tariff with the reimbursement price based on Cepton. Currently appears to be available through Alliance Wholesaler.
- Venlafaxine 300mg modified release tablets have also gone into the Drug Tariff as a Category C items with the reimbursement price based on Martindale Pharmaceutical Ltd. Please take care when purchasing as the generic is over tariff price.
Deletions to Part 8a
There have been 15 deletions to Part 8a in the April Drug Tariff.
Ones which I think you may find of interest are:
- Chlorhexidine 0.2% oral spray sugar free – more commonly known as Corsodyl. This product is still available so either prescribe branded or endorse the left-hand column with manufacturer, pack size and price as from April 24, Prescription Services have no price in their data base.
- Rozex 30g cream – has been removed from the April Drug Tariff. This pack size was discontinued in October 2023. The 40mg pack is still listed and available.
- Testosterone 50mg/5g transdermal gel unit dose tube more commonly known as Testim has been deleted from the April Drug Tariff. This was officially discontinued in November 23. There are multiple other options available. As reminder Testosterone prescriptions are a Schedule 4 Controlled Drug and only have a 28 day validity.
As a reminder Items which have been removed from the Drug Tariff part 8A can still be prescribed and dispensed but you will need to endorse the prescription with manufacturer, pack size and price paid.
Other Changes to Part 8a
164 items are listed in ‘Other Changes, DDS would strongly advise you to check out ‘Other Changes’ for April 24 as many of the changes will apply to you. A huge number of the items have moved from a Category A to a Category C (and the reimbursement price is based on a certain manufacturer) – most of the reimbursement prices have been reduced as a result!
Ones which you may find of interest are:
- Fusidic acid 2% cream was sitting as a Category M with a reimbursement price of £2.30 has been moved back to a Category C and the reimbursement price is now based on Fucidin at £1.92. The generic is now significantly over tariff!
- Chloramphenicol 0.5% eye drops 10ml – was sitting as a Category A with the reimbursement price at £10.11 has dropped to a Category M and the reimbursement price has dropped significantly to £1.80. Purchase prices are still around £10.00 making this a significant Generic over Tariff.
- Morphine sulfate 10mg/5ml oral solution- 300ml has moved from a Category M to a Category A and the reimbursement price has gone from £3.76 – £7.22. Finally, something working in our favor – you should be able to purchase a generic under tariff but if not, Oramorph 300ml has a list price of £5.45 – so prescribe generically and dispense Oramorph.
- Ranolazine 375mg modified release tablets and 500mg modified release tablets have both moved from a Category A to a Category M and the reimbursement price has dropped by over 50%. Please take care when purchasing as prices are all over the place.
