LEEDS, United Kingdom, May 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Today, in
a world first, Asda announces a commitment to sell all privately
prescribed cancer treatment drugs on a permanent ‘not for profit’
basis potentially saving thousands of pounds for sufferers.
Lung disease is the biggest cancer killer of women in the UK
and as part of Asda’s ‘not for profit’ commitment it now means that
the price of Iressa, used to treat lung cancer, is now available
for 2,167.71 pounds Sterling compared
to 2,601.25 pounds at Lloyds Pharmacy, 3,251.57 pounds at Boots and
3,253.56 pounds at Superdrug.
Cancer is the UK’s second biggest killer, affecting nearly
300,000 people per year and for many the cost of treatment is well
above what they can afford. Research compiled for Asda compared the
price of seven of the most commonly privately prescribed cancer
drugs available at the main high street pharmacies in the UK where
marks ups of up to 76 per cent were uncovered.
Superdrug was found to offer the highest prices on four out of
the seven drugs compared and marked up all seven of the drugs by 50
per cent over cost price. Prices at Lloyds and Tesco were
consistently marked up by 20 per cent, while at Boots, all seven
drugs were marked up by either 50 per cent or 27.5 per cent.
Currently, cancer sufferers in the UK face a three pronged
challenge in their battle for affordable treatment:
Pharmacy mark ups
The cost of private prescription anti-cancer drugs varies
significantly between pharmacies, which are able to
charge at their discretion and are known to mark up
anti-cancer drugs by as much as 76 per cent.
Post code lottery on cancer funding
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