The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry has welcomed calls from three patient group umbrella organizations to be more involved as the UK government negotiates with the ABPI on a successor to the 2019 voluntary pricing scheme.

The body representing generics and biosimilars companies in the UK is seeking a seat at the table as negotiations on a new voluntary price scheme get under way.

The UK pharma industry body has set out bold proposals for a new drug pricing agreement from 2024, but not everyone is convinced. Generics companies are pressing for more of a say in the negotiations, while patient groups want to know more about how the deal would help improve access to medicines.

Companies that chose to stay in the UK’s voluntary pricing scheme (VPAS) could be entitled to a refund on their rebate payments, while those that have left may end up paying more.

Some of the rebates paid by drug companies to the government on their sales of medicines could be placed in a central fund to pay for drugs of “demonstrable benefit,” according to Andrew Dillon.

Accepting the pharmaceutical industry’s request to keep the statutory scheme rebate rate at its current rate this year could cost the government dearly, but raising it as planned could be detrimental for UK life sciences.