The supply chain within the UK pharmaceutical industry, often referred to as the invisible backbone of the NHS, consists of manufacturers, wholesalers and specialised logistics companies, together with pharmacies and dispensing surgeries. Collectively, they are responsible for ensuring the timely supply to doctors and hospitals of the two billion individual medicines that are dispensed annually.

The market prices with which we concern ourselves, here at WaveData, are the actual prices paid for stock by those responsible for dispensing at primary care level, i.e. community pharmacies and dispensing doctors.

The prices we hold are always displayed as the net value that the dispenser must pay the supplier. That is, if a price list or special offer from a supplier indicates a product’s price as £3.00 but with a 5% discount, we will report that price as £2.85.

The chain of supply of a particular product, from manufacture to dispense, could have several steps, (which may also, of course, include an importer):

The current market prices we collate, therefore, may be described as “retail” prices, as they are the cost to the last person in the supply chain, the end-user who will seek reimbursement from the NHS.

As described elsewhere WaveData’s suite of products provide users with alternative overviews of the UK pharmaceutical marketplace.

PharmaTouchStone allows users to research historically, while PROfesy CR provides a means to project forward.

For market operators who need to know more about the marketplace today, further information about current market prices is available from WaveData Live.