Calculation of top 10 medicines benchmarks
Each of the top 10 medicines has a benchmark. The benchmark is a percentage uptake value which indicates the minimum proportion of each medicine that is expected to be purchased at the cheaper formulation rate. This can be achieved by either:
- purchasing a 'biosimilar' version of a drug rather than the more expensive originator version
- switching to a generic version of a drug rather than a more expensive branded version
Target uptake levels are the minimum uptake level that a trust is expected to achieve over the course of a financial year. It's not always possible to purchase 100% of any medicine at the cheaper rate. Annual uptake targets are derived by taking the total spend on each medicine for the preceding financial year, determining the uptake of biosimilars and calculating the difference between the actual uptake level and the target uptake level.
For switches to generic medicines, we have set simple savings targets for reducing the total spend on a particular product, compared to the brand price. These are also based on spend on each medicine for the preceding financial year.
Targets for the 2018/19 financial year
| Medicine | Classification | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Infliximab | Biosimilar | Target uptake level: 80% |
| Etanercept | Biosimilar | Target uptake level: 80% |
| Imatinib | Generic | Target saving: 70% reduction in spend compared to brand price |
| Rituximab | Biosimilar | Target uptake level: 80% |
| Valganciclovir | Generic | Target saving: 75% reduction in spend compared to brand |
| Caspofungin | Generic | Target saving: 75% reduction in spend compared to brand price |
| Linezolid | Generic | Target saving: 90% reduction in spend compared to brand price |
| Adalimumab | Originator price drop | Target saving based on 100% uptake at reduced cost |
| Voriconazole | Generic | Target saving: 90% reduction in spend compared to brand price |
| Trastuzumab | Biosimilar and originator price drop | (From August 2018) Target uptake level: 80%. Trusts should also benefit from a 29% reduction in price of the originator. |