NHS forced to pay extra £34 million on common thyroid pill

The NHS has been forced to pay an extra £34 million for a common thyroid pill after a pharmaceutical giant abused its position as the drug’s only supplier, it has emerged today.  

Pharma company Concordia, which manufacturers liothyronine tablets and deny any wrongdoing, increased the drug’s price per pack by nearly 6,000 per cent from £4.46 last decade to £258.19.

Andrea Coscelli, chief executive of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), said: ‘Pharmaceutical companies which abuse their position and overcharge for drugs are forcing the NHS – and the UK taxpayer – to pay over the odds for important medical treatments.

‘We allege that Concordia used its market dominance in the supply of liothyronine tablets to do exactly that.’ 

Liothyronine tablets are used to treat a condition caused by a thyroid hormone deficiency, known as hypothyroidism, which affects at least one in every 50 people.

The NHS advised against the tablet’s prescription in July due to its high cost and lack of evidence of efficacy over alternative treatments.

A pharma giant abused its position as a pill’s only supplier; making the NHS pay an extra £34m

WHAT ARE LIOTHYRONINE TABLETS? 

Liothyronine tablets are used to treat an underactive thyroid gland in a condition known as hypothyroidism.

This prevents the body from functioning properly, resulting in symptoms such as slow growth and slurred speech.

The tablets are generally taken once a day before breakfast and are often required for the rest of the user’s life.

Side effects may include weight loss, headache, tremors, vomiting and diarrhoea.

The NHS advised against liothyronine tablet’s prescription in July due to their high cost and limited evidence supporting their efficacy.

‘Forcing the NHS – and the taxpayer – to pay over the odds’ 

Ms Coscelli said: ‘Pharmaceutical companies which abuse their position and overcharge for drugs are forcing the NHS – and the UK taxpayer – to pay over the odds for important medical treatments.

‘We allege that Concordia used its market dominance in the supply of liothyronine tablets to do exactly that.’ 

The CMA targets pharma companies over their pricing and can fine them 10 per cent of their annual turnover for breaking competition law.

It recently fined Pfizer and Flynn Pharma nearly 90 million pounds over the price of the anti-epilepsy treatment phenytoin sodium capsules and has fined several companies a total of 45 million pounds over the antidepressant medicine paroxetine.

Both cases are under appeal. 

The CMA has said it will consider arguments from Ontario-based Concordia and its owners before judging whether the pharma company broke competition law. 

Competition laws bans abusive behaviour from market-dominant companies. 

Concordia deny any wrongdoing 

Concordia denies breaking competition law, saying:  ‘The pricing of liothyronine has been conducted openly and transparently with the Department of Health in the UK over a period of 10 years.

‘Over that time, significant investment has been made in this medicine to ensure its continued availability for patients in the UK, to the specifications required by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency in the UK.’

It added it would co-operate with the CMA during its investigation.  

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