UK Pharma Companies to Feel the Pressure of NHS Red Lists

Under the new scheme, pharmaceutical companies are more likely to find their drugs 'red-listed', which means they can only be prescribed by a hospital and not a GP.

The UK National Health Service's decision to prevent family doctors from prescribing drugs will have a negative impact on the pharmaceutical industry, a health expert has warned. The measure is designed to save money by restricting access to drugs that are often among the more expensive.

Janet Knowles, partner and head of the life sciences team at law firm Eversheds said that under the new scheme, pharmaceutical companies are more likely to find their drugs 'red-listed', which means they can only be prescribed by a hospital and not a GP.

Knowles said, "The pressures on pharmaceutical companies are already high. The regulatory hurdles that have to be crossed before they get a drug approved at all amount to a cost of at least $1bn. Added to that, in the UK, they hav