Abstract
Over recent decades, UK government attitudes towards the pharmaceutical industry have been ambivalent, reflecting the conflicting aims of controlling drug expenditure and maintaining a strong pharmaceutical industry. Policy can best be characterised as a careful balancing act, with indirect regulation leaving drug producers free to set prices. However, recent policy developments suggest a shift towards a more directly interventionist approach to drug pricing and reimbursement. This paper outlines the political dimensions of drug rationing in the context of recent reforms and assesses the prospects of New Labour's high-risk strategy for its relationship with prescribers, pharmaceutical companies and the electorate.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 563-576 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | Policy & Politics |
| Volume | 28 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Publication status | Published - 2000 |
Keywords
- Drugs
- Health
- NHS
- Rationing