ABPI recruits team to negotiate new medicines pricing scheme

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has appointed leaders from prominent drug companies to negotiate the new UK medicines pricing scheme that comes into effect in 2014.

John Kearney, general manager of Amgen in the UK and Ireland, will chair the team, while other members will include Erik van Snippenberg of GlaxoSmithKline, Jon Emms of Pfizer, UCB's Matthew Speers and Pete Butterfield of Alliance Pharma.

The industry experts will meet with the Department of Health to negotiate the details of the new scheme from September 2012 onwards, with the ABPI's choices reflecting the full variety of UK firms in terms of size and geographic location.

It is hoped that the new pricing scheme will give patients better access to new drugs and deliver value for money to the NHS, while also ensuring that pharmaceutical companies are adequately rewarded for their innovative products.

The ABPI is the body recognised by the health secretary for the purposes of negotiating a new voluntary scheme, with an ABPI team led by commercial director Alison Clough also set to take part in the negotiations.