Question reference: S5W-33383
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 19 November 2020
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Current status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 10 December 2020
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Scottish Medicines Consortium has been working with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry on introducing multi-indication pricing.
Answer
The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has had no discussions this year with NICE or the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) on multi-indication pricing. The SMC was required to temporarily suspend all meetings in March 2020, in the early phase of the pandemic. Since meetings resumed in July the focus has been on prioritising the assessment of new medicines with the potential to deliver the greatest benefits to patients. A high proportion of company submissions to SMC include a Patient Access Scheme (PAS) to improve the cost-effectiveness of a medicine. Where the cost-effectiveness of a medicine varies significantly across indications, companies can address this through the current PAS arrangements.