Advance Notice – Drug Tariff Changes March 2021
Additions
The seeming current trend for commonly used Over the Counter medicines to be added to the Drug tariff by their generic name continues for March 2021.
This leads me a list of questions for General Practitioners and Dispensary Managers:
How many prescriptions have you written for any of the following in the last year or two?
Have any of these items cropped up in communications from your local prescribing Advisor or medicines management teams?
Can you ever remember dispensing any of these items from your dispensary?
Dichlorobenzyl alcohol 1.2mg / Amylmetacresol 600microgram lozenges x 24
Hexylresorcinol 2.4mg lozenges x 24
Zinc undecenoate 20% / Undecenoic acid 5% cream 25g
Now a supplementary question, without looking on your prescribing system or checking your copy of the BNF or reverting to the internet do you know what any of these items is or how they are used clinically?
These are items usually purchased by the patient in a pharmacy.
Dichlorobenzyl alcohol 1.2mg / Amylmetacresol 600microgram lozenges x 24 [Strepsils Honey and Lemon]
Hexylresorcinol 2.4mg lozenges x 24 [Strepsils Extra Triple Action]
Zinc undecenoate 20% / Undecenoic acid 5% cream 25g [Mycota Cream]
The above products are all being added to Part VIIIA of the Drug Tariff for England and Wales from March 1st 2021, which means you can prescribe these generically and be reimbursed the NHS brand list price, as they are based on the current brand.
Is this part of a wider movement to increase the number of OTC or self-care products available via prescription?
Or is it a direct response to the impact of Covid-19?
Email me with your opinion contact@dispensingdoctorexperts.co.uk
To read the full list of additions to the March 2021 Drug Tariff click here.
Deletions
Run down stock of the following and if dispensing after 1st March 2021 ensure the prescription clearly states which brand, supplier or manufacturer of these items has been dispensed to receive correct reimbursement:
| Medicine | Pack Size | Category |
| Ampicillin 250mg/5ml oral suspension | 100ml | Category A |
| Bromocriptine 10mg capsules | 100 | Category C Parlodel |
| Bromocriptine 5mg capsules | 100 | Category C Parlodel |
| *Buprenorphine 2mg oral lyophilisates sugar free | 7 | Category C Espranor |
| *Buprenorphine 8mg oral lyophilisates sugar free | 7 | Category C Espranor |
| Methylcellulose 500mg tablets | 112 | Category C Celevac |
| Testosterone 40mg capsules | 60 | Category C Restandol Testocap |
| Ulipristal 5mg tablets | 28 | Category C Esmya |
| *Zolmitriptan 5mg tablets | 12 | Category C Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Europe Ltd |
| *This pack only (others still available) |
Changes to the March 2021 Drug Tariff
Keep an eye out for the online Drug Tariff which is due to be published five days before the beginning of March to see what impact the following changes will have on your purchasing and dispensing decisions.
You should consider running down stock of Hydrocortisone 10mg soluble tablets sugar free as the price may well drop in March.
The current Drug Tariff price of Ranitidine 50mg/2ml solution for injection ampoules is £3.99 and the Alliance Pharmaceuticals NHS list price according to the dm+d browser is £2.69 so the price may well drop in March.
| Hydrocortisone 10mg soluble tablets sugar free | 30 (3x 10) | Category C Creo Pharma Ltd will be: |
| 30 (3x 10) | Category A | |
| Ranitidine 50mg/2ml solution for injection ampoules | 5 | Category A will be: |
| 5 | Category C Alliance Pharmaceuticals Ltd | |
| Tobramycin 80mg/2ml solution for injection vials | 1 | Category C Nebcin will be: |
| 1 | Category C Flynn Pharma Ltd |
