Drug Tariff Watch – March 2022

The Drug Tariff Preface published monthly lists additions, deletions and other changes to products listed in the Drug Tariff. Below is a summary of the changes coming into effect from 1 March 2022.

Part VIIIA Additions

Category A Additions:

• Metoprolol 25mg tablets (28)

Category C Additions:

• Chlorpromazine 10mg tablets (28) – Genesis Pharmaceuticals Ltd – BB and OOP
• Mometasone 25micrograms/dose / Olopatadine 600micrograms/dose nasal spray g (240 dose) – Ryaltris – BB and OOP
• Olanzapine 10mg powder for solution for injection vials g (1) – Zyprexa – BB and OOP
• Paracetamol 500mg / Pseudoephedrine hydrochloride 30mg tablets (15) – Sinutab Non-Drowsy – BB and OOP
• Rivaroxaban 1mg/ml oral suspension sugar free g (250ml) –  Xarelto – BB and OOP
• *Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate 10g oral powder sachets (30) – Lokelma – BB, OOP and DND
• Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate 5g oral powder sachets (30) – Lokelma – BB, OOP and DND

Part VIIID Additions
From March 2022, the Drug Tariff includes a new section, Part VIIID, which sets out payment arrangements for specials and imported unlicensed medicines to be paid relative to an identified pack size.

For guidance on the new Part VIIID arrangements as FAQs covering the reasons for the introduction of a new section in the Drug Tariff for specials, Part VIIID price-setting processes as well as prescription endorsing and submission requirements see our briefing Part VIIID – Specials with reimbursement prices relative to commonly identified pack sizes.

Part VIIIA Amendments 

• Amiloride 5mg/5ml oral solution sugar free (150 ml) Category A has moved to Category C – Essential Pharma Ltd – BB, OOP and DND
  Price increase £46.45 to £158.85
  
• Cimetidine 200mg/5ml oral solution sugar free (300 ml) Category A has moved to Category C – Rosemont Pharmaceuticals Ltd – BB, OOP
  Price decrease £48.78 to £48.75
  
• Fluticasone propionate 250micrograms/dose/Salmeterol 50micrograms/dose dry powder inhaler g (60) dose Category C Seretide 250 Accuhaler reference product has been removed – BB, OOP
  Price remains at £33.95
  
• Glucose 40% oral gel 75g (3xg25) Category C GlucoGel reference product has been removed – BB, OOP
  Price remains at £7.16
  
• Mirtazapine 15mg/ml oral solution sugar free g (66 ml) Category A has moved to Category C – Rosemont Pharmaceuticals Ltd – BB, OOP and DND
  Price increase £89.22 to £97.89
  
• Omeprazole 10mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free g (75 ml) Category A has moved to Category C – Rosemont Pharmaceuticals Ltd – BB, OOP and DND
  Price increase £103.93 to £106.46
  
• Omeprazole 20mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free g (75 ml) Category A has moved to Category C – Rosemont Pharmaceuticals Ltd – BB, OOP and DND
  Price increase £201.10 to £206.00
• Posaconazole 100mg gastroresistant tablets (24) Category C Noxafil reference product has been removed – BB, OOP and DND
  Price remains at £596.96
  
• Promazine 25mg/5ml oral solution (150 ml) Category A has moved to Category C – Rosemont Pharmaceuticals Ltd – BB, OOP and DND
  Price increase £50.49 to £60.19
  
• Simvastatin 20mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free (150 ml) Category A has moved to Category C – Rosemont Pharmaceuticals Ltd – BB, OOP and DND
  Price increase £162.92 to £173.89
  
• Sodium cromoglicate 100mg capsules (100) Category C Nalcrom has moved to Category A
  Price increase £41.14 to £46.80
• Warfarin 1mg/ml oral suspension sugar free (150 ml) Category A has moved to Category C – Rosemont Pharmaceuticals Ltd – BB, OOP and DND
  Price increase £140.29 to £156.07

Please note price listed here was correct at the time of publishing and is subject to change in line with the price change mechanism.

Part VIIIA Deletions
If all pack sizes of a drug have been removed from Part VIII of the Drug Tariff the drug can continue to be dispensed as long as it does NOT appear in Part XVIIIA (Drugs, Medicines and other substances not to be ordered under a General Medical Services Contract).

Category A Deletions:

• Gamolenic acid 40mg capsules (240)
• Gamolenic acid 80mg capsules (120)
• Paroxetine 40mg tablets (28)

Category C Deletions:

• Co-codamol 15mg/500mg effervescent tablets sugar free (100) – Codipar
• Glucosamine sulfate 1.5g tablets (30) – Dolenio
• Hypromellose 0.3% / Dextran ’70’ 0.1% eye drops g (15ml) – Tears Naturale
• Hypromellose 0.3% / Dextran ’70’ 0.1% eye drops 0.4ml unit dose preservative free (28 (7xg4) – Tears Naturale
• Ivermectin 10mg/g cream g (30g) – Soolantra
• Morphine 60mg modified-release granules sachets sugar free (30) – MST Continus

Part VIIIB Deletions

• Pyridostigmine bromide 60mg/5ml oral suspension (200ml) has been removed from Part VIIIB.

Part II (Drugs for which discount is not deducted (DND)) Additions

• Carnitor 1g chewable tablets
• E-Caps 200unit capsules
• E-Caps 400unit capsules
• Fareston 60mg tablets
• Gabapentin 400mg/5ml oral suspension (Group Item)
• Gosa-S 500mg tablets
• Iasibon 50mg tablets
• Ketamine 50mg/5ml oral solution (Group Item)
• Ketamine 50mg/5ml oral suspension (Group Item)
• Levocarnitine 1g chewable tablets
• Mercaptopurine 10mg capsules (Group Item)
• Mercaptopurine 10mg tablets (Group Item)
• Methylphenidate 5mg/5ml oral suspension (Group Item)
• Phenobarbital 50mg/5ml oral solution (Group Item)
• Phenobarbital 50mg/5ml oral suspension (Group Item)
• Pregabalin 75mg/5ml oral suspension (Group Item)
• Toremifene 60mg tablets
• Venlafaxine oral solution sugar free(ALL)

Part II (Drugs for which discount is not deducted (DND)) Deletions

• Diloxanide 500mg tablets
• Mestinon retard 180mg tablets
• Pyridostigmine bromide 180mg modified-release tablets

Part II (Drugs for which discount is not deducted (DND)) Amendments 

For a list of all the monthly changes to the DND status of products please see the following page Notice of changes to discount not deducted (DND) status of products.

Part IX Deletions
It is important to take careful note of removals from Part IX because if you dispense a deleted product, prescriptions will be returned as disallowed and therefore payment will not be made for dispensing the item.

The following appliances have been deleted from Part IX of the March 2022 Drug Tariff:

To view appliances due to be deleted from Part IX of the April 2022, May 2022 and June 2022 Drug Tariffs visit our page Drug Tariff Appliance Watch: Notice of Deletion

To view the latest changes to special container status, visit our Notice of changes to special container status of products page.

To view previous Drug Tariff Watch months visit our page here.