UK is poor man of Europe in expenditure on medicines
Britain spends less on medicines than other European countries, making it the "poor man of Europe", according to the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI).
Britain spends less on medicines than other European countries, making it the "poor man of Europe", according to the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI).
The UK spends less than half that of Greece, Portugal and Spain on medicines. It has dropped to bottom of the official league table comparing the price of medicines across Europe and also lags behind Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands and Sweden.
The figures are published in an annual report to parliament from the Department of Health, which sets the price paid for medicines by the NHS. The report compares the 2008 prices of the leading 150 branded medicines in 11 European countries, the US and Australia.
The UK ranks 12 out of 13, behind the US and all of its counterparts in Europe, with only Australia, a new addition to the list in 2007, coming out lower.
Additional research by the ABPI shows that the UK spends 1% of GDP on medicines, compared with 1.45% in Spain, 2.32% in Greece and 2.17% in Portugal.
David Fisher, commercial director of the ABPI, said: What we are talking about here is the breakthrough medicines which make huge differences to people's lives. Prices in the UK are less than in any other comparative European country, yet the UK Government, via NICE, continues to tell patients we can't afford new medicines.
"I think patients, many of whom have paid into the healthcare pot for many years, should be asking hard questions about why they are not being allowed to get their investment back."
He added: "Spending by GDP provides an indication of what is affordable. No matter what measure you use, the UK is the poor man of Europe. Patients in the UK deserve better."
