The top 10 medicines: introduction
The top 10 medicines present trusts with monthly opportunities to make cost savings and optimise their use of medicines. The data has demonstrated that switching to lower cost equivalent medicines has not only saved money, but benefited patients.
Lord Carter's 2016 report into unwarranted variation in the NHS recommended that NHS Improvement should develop a list of the top 10 medicines with monthly savings opportunities for trusts to pursue, for example by purchasing cheaper 'biosimilar' versions or generic rather than branded products.
Cost and usage data for the top 10 medicines comes from the Define system by Rx-Info, which is used by around 90% of acute trusts.
The first version of the top 10 medicines list including uptake levels and savings delivery targets was published in 2017/18. It has now been updated for 2021/21.
Current top ten medicines list
| Medicine | Classification |
|---|---|
| Adalimumab |
Best value biologic |
| Bortezomib | Price drop |
| Caspofungin | Price drop |
| Etanercept |
Best value biologic |
| Imatinib |
Price drop |
| Infliximab |
Best value biologic |
| Posaconazole |
Price drop |
| Rituximab |
Best value biologic |
| Trastuzumab IV |
Best value biologic |
| Voriconazole |
Price drop |
Historic top ten medicines list
| Medicine | Retired from |
|---|---|
| Cyclizine | 2018/19 |
| Prednisolone | 2018/19 |
| Linezolid | 2019/20 |
| Valganciclovir | 2019/20 |