Drug Tariff News
12th May 2025 - Source: Amanda Chell
April Drug Tariff News
£12.3m per quarter added to Cat M from April adjustment
NHSBSA has published the category M adjustment for April 2025. This contains:
- Adjustments for underlying market prices (between October – December 2024).
- Takes account that £193 million of the cumulative medicine margin over delivery (up until end of September 2024) has been written off as per the community pharmacy contractual framework funding for 25/26.
As a result, the medicine margin will be adjusted upwards by £12.3 million per quarter through Category M reimbursement prices.
Additions to Part 2
Only 1 item has been added to Part 2 in the April Drug Tariff, and this one is:
- Sertraline 100mg/5ml concentrate for oral solution sugar free
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
20 items have been added to Part 8a of the April Drug Tariff. Most of the April additions are items which already have an alternative pack size in the Drug Tariff. Ones which I think you will find of interest are:
- Colecalciferol 800unit capsules has gone into the Drug Tariff as a Category C and the reimbursement price is based on Fultium. The new pack size is 90, this is in addition to the 30-pack size already in the Drug Tariff.
- Dabigatran etexilate 110mg capsules and 75mg capsules have been added to the April Drug Tariff as a pack size of 10. Other pack sizes are available – please see below section on ‘Other Changes’
- Estradiol 75micrograms/24hours transdermal patches has gone into the April Drug Tariff as a Category C with the reimbursement price based on Estraderm MX. The additional pack size is 24. Pack size of 8 was already in the Drug Tariff as a Category C but the reimbursement price is based on Evorel 75mg.
Part 16 – Notes on Charges
- Gepretix has been added to Part 16 and is now covered by the HRT PPC.
Deletions to Part 8a
42 items have been deleted from the April Drug Tariff, ones which I think you may find of interest are:
- Adapalene 0.3% / Benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel and Adapalene 0.1% / Benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel have both been deleted from the April Drug Tariff as the 45g tube. The 60g tube has been added.
- Calcipotriol 50micrograms/ml scalp solution has been deleted from the April Drug Tariff – both the 60ml and 120ml – it does appear to have been discontinued.
- Mizolastine 10mg modified release tablets, more commonly known as Mizollen has been removed from the April Drug Tariff – this was discontinued in October 2024.
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
37 items are listed in ‘Other Changes, the ones which I think you will find of interest are:
- Bimatoprost 300micrograms/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml eye drops 0.4ml unit dose preservative free has moved from a Category C with the reimbursement price based on Ganfort and is now sitting as a Category M. The reimbursement price has dropped from £17.94 to £15.67. The generic can be purchased just over £10.00 so nice and profitable.
- Dabigatran etexilate 110mg capsules has moved from a Category C to a Category M and the reimbursement has dropped from £51.00 to £30.28. Take care when purchasing as generic purchase prices are varying significantly
- Dabigatran etexilate 150mg capsules has also moved from a Category C to a Category M and the reimbursement has dropped from £51.00 to £30.15. Same as the 110mg, take care when purchasing as prices vary.
