ABSTRACT
The National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom (UK) is responsible for providing all aspects of healthcare to its citizens, including control of pricing and supply of pharmaceuticals. Since its inception in 1948 the NHS has been charged to provide universal healthcare to all UK citizens. Market authorization is granted through the European Medicines Agency or through the Medicines and Healthcare product Regulatory Agency who hold the formal drug registration authority in the UK The “voluntary” Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme (PPRS), controls profits of UK branded pharmaceutical companies. Prices of branded prescription drugs in the UK are indirectly controlled through the voluntary PPRS between the Department of Health and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry. Value-Based Pricing was announced as the replacement of PPRS as a means of controlling price in the UK The PPRS determines the prices at which reimbursement to the pharmacist occurs for branded prescription pharmaceuticals.
