PSNC has announced price concessions on gabapentin following reports of contractors losing up to £180 dispensing the drug last month.

Gabapentin will be reimbursed at £6 for a 100-pack of 100mg capsules and £12 for a 100-pack of 300mg capsules for November prescriptions, PSNC announced on Tuesday (November 12). The prices are more than double October's reimbursement prices of £2.69 and £5.92 respectively.

Avicenna estimated that contractors had lost up to £180 on gabapentin in October, based on an average pharmacy dispensing 10 packs of the 300mg dose at the maximum price of £24.30, it revealed last week.

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	Avicenna's analysis of 46 member invoices suggested independents were consistently paying over the odds for gabapentin 300mg last month – with quotes from 11 suppliers ranging from £5.99 (7p more than the reimbursement price) to the maximum of £24.30. Prices for gabapentin 100mg were between £2.45 and £9.99.

The independent support group said it had received many calls from members concerned about the price discrepancy. Some had voiced concerns that suppliers were ring-fencing gabapentin stock for their own branches, resulting in independents losing prescriptions, reported Avicenna's commercial director Raj Haria. He sent the results to PSNC last week (November 6).

PSNC said it was unable to agree price concessions for gabapentin with the Department of Health in October despite "considerable pressing".

Independent Pharmacy Federation (IPF) chief executive Claire Ward said the decision to grant concessions on November prescriptions demonstrated the impact pharmacists could make by collecting pricing data.

Pharmacies have reported a shortage in gabapentin through C+D's interactive tool, launched in August. C+D is collating evidence of stock shortages that it will be presenting to the government later this month.