Drug Tariff News

8th September 2022 - Source: Amanda Chell

Additions to Part 2

22 items have been added to Part 2 of the August Drug Tariff – ones which I think you may find of interest are:

• Amantadine 50mg/5ml oral solution sugar free
• Cabergoline 1mg + 2mg tablets
• Tamoxifen 40mg tablets

Items which fall into part 2 generally have no wholesaler discount and so you would be dispensing at a loss.  Therefore, these are items which you may consider sending the prescription to a local pharmacy.

Additions to Part 8a

12 items have been added to Part 8a of the August Drug Tariff, ones which I think you will fine of interest are:

• Buspirone 15mg + 30mg tablets, pack size 30 have both gone into the August Drug Tariff as Category C items with the reimbursement price based on Zentiva Pharma. Both strengths can be purchased generically.
• Morphine 1mg,2.5mg, 5mg,10mg, 20mg and 30mg orodispersible tablets sugar free have gone into the Drug Tariff, category C and the reimbursement price is based on Actimorph. This is available through all 3 mainline wholesalers.
• Prednisolone 1mg gastro-resistant tablets, pack size 100 has gone into the August Drug Tariff as a category C item but again is generically available. Please take care when purchasing as some wholesalers are selling significantly over Drug Tariff price.

Previously if any of the items above had been prescribed generically, you would have had to endorse the brand, manufacturer, pack size and price paid in the left-hand column. As the items are now in the Drug Tariff, no endorsement is required. 

Deletions to Part 8a

9 items have been deleted from the August Drug Tariff- items which you may find of interest are listed below:

• Estradiol 40micrograms/24hours transdermal patches and Estradiol 80micrograms/24hours transdermal patches, more commonly known as Elleste Solo MX 40 or 80mg. Both strengths were discontinued in May 2022.
• Lidocaine 1% / Hydrocortisone 0.2% spray, more commonly known as Perinal spray. This was discontinued in April 2022.
• Prednisolone 1mg gastro-resistant tablets, pack size 30 has been removed from the August Drug Tariff however the pack size 100 has been added.

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

Only 3 items are listed in ‘Other Changes, these are:

• Acebutolol 400mg tablets was a Category C with the reimbursement price based on Sectral, is now a category A item. The reimbursement price has increased slightly to £22.51 and can be purchased for as little as £16.44.
• Dorzolamide 20mg/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml eye drops preservative free eye drops has had the brand Eylamdo removed but is still a category C item. Please note this is the preservative free eye drops.
• Dorzolamide 20mg/ml eye drops preservative free eye drops has had the brand Eydelto removed but again is still a Category C item – please note this is the preservative free eye drops.