The UK Government plans to make changes in the labeling of medicines issued under the National Health Service (NHS), to let the patients realize that the cost of the medicines and discourage wastage.
The new labels will include the price of the NHS drugs exceeding £20, along with the phrase 'funded by the UK taxpayer' on the packs.
Speaking at the Local Government Association annual conference in Harrogate, UK Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "There is no such thing as a free health service: everything we are proud of in the NHS is funded by taxpayers and every penny we waste costs patients more through higher taxes or reduced services."
The secretary said printing the prices would not only cut down waste by apprising people of the costs of medicine but also enhance care for patients by conforming to drug regimes.
Processes to include the information will begin this year and implemented next year.
"Estimates suggest that missed GP appointments cost the NHS £162m each year and missed hospital appointments as much as £750m a year. On top of which we spend £300m a year on wasted medicines.
"People who use our services need to know that in the end they pay the price for this waste."
However, the move drew flak from pharmaceutical organizations for they felt that this would end up with unintended consequences.
Trade body Pharmacy Voice said in a statement: "The value of a medicine to an individual is about a good deal more than the price. Research shows that some patients, particularly older people, could be deterred from taking the medicines they need because they are worried about the impact on the public purse."
It has observed that the best way to tackle wastage was to focus on adherence and correct usage, implementing services to fulfill patients' need for medicines, 'rather than highlighting the price of some medicines to some patients'.
Image: Price of the NHS medicines will be printed on the drug packs. Photo: courtesy of amenic181 / Freedigitalphotos.net.
