Between 2001 and 2022 the number of generics in the English drug tariff increased from 1682 to 3955. Most of this was driven by increased patient demand and new product launches to cope with this demand.
However, more recently the number of products in this reimbursement list has fallen, hitting 3750 in May this year. This reduction has been driven by negotiations between DHSC (Department of Health and Social Care) and Community Pharmacy England (PSNC) which have resulted in the deletions of a few handfuls of discontinued and low usage products. Additionally, the effects of debranding, where manufacturers withdraw branded generics and launch generics instead due the costs of the VPAG rebate (the voluntary scheme for branded medicines pricing, access and growth), may increase the number of drug tariff generics in the longer term.