Andrew Lansley dismisses pharmacy medicine supply chain problems

Incredible to think that someone thinks the supply problems are even slightly solved.
In the first week of this month I had already reached my “quota” on several lines. I still have to waste time telephoning manufacturers to ask them to release stock and some are still calling for faxed copies of scripts or script serial numbers before supply is made.

How the drug companies are allowed to get away with this situation and also with the DTP schemes (nothing but a cynical profit making exercise) is mystery.

I would like to tell Mr Lansley that we cannot get Azilect 1mg or Spiriva Refills for our patients (just two examples of drugs).

"But Mr Lansley told parliament on October 18 that the government had "worked with the industry to resolve the issues"." <-- The original meeting was in March 2011 if I am right? Still no change though... the 24 hour maximum wait for a drug is not being met!

Clive, I agree with everything you have said.

Any businesses, such as huge pharmaceutical companies, worth hundreds of millions of pounds will always carry a lot of clout in any Goverment. As they say.. money talks... Or am i just cynical

Mr Lansley should take off his rose-tinted blinkers! I know for a fact that one of the DTP suppliers has recommended that a regional wholesaler orders an expected months supply of a particular product direct from the manufacturer at the start of each month, so there are no stock "issues" by the 16th of the month, never mind the end of the month, from one of the so-called big three. Even they are now admitting DTP does not work. Why does Mr Lansley not stop this farce now? I agree completely with what Mr Brooks says.

The supply problems remain and Mr Lansley must be living on another planet to ignore the issue. On another note, some pharmacy owners are compounding the problems. One only has to look at the MHRA list and identify pharmcies who have a wholesalers licence. A vast majority of these are siphoning stock off and selling it on to other organisations which ship the goods abroad. They should be identified, named and shamed and struck off. Just like the specials debacle a minority of pharmacists are ripping the system off on the expense other of 90% hard working contractors.

the wholesalers are the major exporters, and blame it on small pharmacies

The way I look at it is if government funding for pharmacy is so poor, then as commercial enterprises the government need to accept businesses will do all they can to make a profit. If this means selling stock abroad, then so be it.

Was it not the NHS that benefited from PI trade imports, that lead to clawback being increased by 1%, and which still currently sits as it is. Double standards, if you ask me. What the government should do is to force Big Pharma to lift quotos legally otherwise make prices across europe uniform to stop this nonsense arbitrage trade.

Martin Sawer, Executive Director BAPW

The Secretary of State's comments are lazy and uninformed; why?...... because he can get away with it...... All parts of the medicines supply chain in the UK must work together better to ensure that NHS patients have the resilient and efficient supply in the future that they are still used to, but we all know is currently being held together by dedicated healthcare professionals at all levels. These healthcare professionals must work together to make more noise to stop Andrew Lansley being able to respond in such an off-hand way, for the sake of UK medicines supply to patients. BAPW is seeking more obligations on all parts of the supply chain in the interests of patient safety. We need support and patient evidence to win this argument and pharmacists are best placed to provide this. Please do all you can through your representative bodies, to support this campaign to shape the future framework of appropriate NHS medicines supply.