DHSC/NHSE Announce New Approach for C-19 Antiviral Supply
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England (NHSE) have announced a new approach to the supply of COVID-19 antivirals to patients living in the community.
Ministers have decided that this will follow the business as usual approach to medicines supply, with prescribers in general practices being asked to prescribe the medicines and prescriptions being dispensed in community pharmacies. However, pharmacy contractors will be able to order the antivirals free of charge from the Government’s stockpile, via Alliance Healthcare.
Background information
Currently, eligible patients can access COVID-19 antivirals via Covid Medicines Delivery Units.
NICE issued guidance at the end of March 2023 on the use of several COVID-19 antivirals, which includes some products being prescribed in primary care for eligible patients. The NHS has a requirement to implement this NICE recommendation within 90 days of its publication.
Read more about this in an alert from the Chief Medical Officer
Accessing supplies of COVID-19 antivirals
Earlier in the pandemic, the UK Government purchased large quantities of several COVID-19 antiviral products and these have been stockpiled for future use.
DHSC has signed an agreement with Alliance Healthcare to distribute two of these products to community pharmacies in England:
- Molnupiravir 200mg capsules (Lagevrio 200mg capsules)
- Nirmatrelvir 150mg tablets and Ritonavir 100mg tablets (Paxlovid 150mg/100mg tablets)
The products will be supplied free of charge to contractors.
Further information on ordering the products will be available from Alliance Healthcare in due course.
Reimbursement for dispensed products
The usual Drug Tariff fees will be paid in relation to the dispensing of prescriptions for these products.
As the stock has been supplied free of charge from the Government stockpile, contractors will not be reimbursed based on the manufacturer’s list price, which is typically the case for proprietary medicines. Contractors will receive a nominal reimbursement amount of £2.50, which DHSC has set to recognise the purchase margin contractors would ordinarily retain on products they had purchased to fulfil a prescription.
