Access to oral COVID medication
Change to Covid-19 antiviral medicines supply arrangements in Mid and South Essex
From 12th August 2024 Mid and South Essex Covid-19 Medicines Distribution Unit (CMDU) is changing the way antiviral medicines will be supplied to eligible patients.
The unit will still assess patients who are deemed to be at higher risk of complications following a positive covid-19 test, who may be suitable for antiviral treatment if commenced within 5 days of a positive test. However the unit will now issue electronic prescriptions for Paxlovid (Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir) or Lagevrio (Molnupiravor) where these treatments are indicated, rather than supplying the medicine directly.
Community Pharmacy Essex has requested that electronic prescriptions are sent to the spine rather than a nominated pharmacy, as we recognise that the most convenient pharmacy for the family member/friend/neighbour collecting the prescription may not be the one that the patient routinely uses. This will also facilitate access to the treatment in a timely manner over evenings/weekends.
What we are asking you to do
The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) has signed an agreement with Alliance Healthcare to distribute these products to community pharmacies in England:
- Molnupiravir 200mg capsules (Lagevrio 200mg capsules)
- Nirmatrelvir 150mg tablets and Ritonavir 100mg tablets (Paxlovid 150mg/100mg tablets)
The products will be supplied free of charge to contractors, there is no financial impact if the product is held and then goes out of date. There is also no single order surcharge for these products.
Working with Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board (MSE ICB) we are asking pharmacies keep one or two courses of Paxlovid in stock, and consider keeping a course of Lagevrio in stock, to dispense against prescriptions immediately. This will help to reduce waiting times for patients presenting time-sensitive prescriptions for the products, as treatment needs to commence within 5 days of a positive test.
We believe that having stock available at all Mid and South Essex pharmacies will ensure better continuity of care for patients. There will also be a reduced risk of a patient’s regular pharmacy nomination being inadvertently changed as a result of a single item on the spine.
Reimbursement for dispensed products
The usual Drug Tariff fees will be paid in relation to the dispensing of prescriptions for these products.
As the stock has been supplied free of charge from the Government stockpile, contractors will not be reimbursed based on the manufacturer’s list price, which is typically the case for proprietary medicines. Contractors will receive a nominal reimbursement amount of £2.50, which DHSC has set to recognise the purchase margin contractors would ordinarily retain on products they had purchased to fulfil a prescription.
Please see here for the Standard Operating Procedure
