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Patient Access Schemes in England aim to improve the affordability and accessibility of high-cost treatments provided to NHS England patients, especially those treatments that may not initially meet cost-effectiveness standards set by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

Patient Access Schemes in Scotland are specialised arrangements between pharmaceutical companies and NHS Scotland, designed to enhance the cost-effectiveness of new medicines.

The elements of a pharmaceutical company's Patient Access Scheme proposal to NHS Scotland, required to facilitate thorough evaluation by the Patient Access Scheme Assessment Group and the Scottish Medicines Consortium.

When a pharmaceutical manufacturer intends to introduce a new branded medicine to the UK market, a structured process must be followed to set the price before the medicine is launched. This ensures that the price is acceptable for the National Health Service (NHS) and aligns with the broader health system's financial sustainability and patient access objectives.

The statutory scheme for branded medicines pricing is an alternative to the VPAG voluntary scheme, allowing companies to opt out if they choose while aiming to achieve equivalence in the rebates paid on pharmaceutical sales revenue.

The price of medicines and other life science products is negotiated by the manufacturer with the Economic Committee for Health Products (Comité Économique des Produits de Santé, CEPS). CEPS is a French interministerial body operating under the joint authority of the Ministers responsible for health, social security, and the economy. Its primary mandate is to set the prices of reimbursable health products, including medications and medical devices, ensuring a balance between patient access and the financial sustainability of the healthcare system.

The Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing, Access, and Growth (VPAG) sets out how the prices for the majority of branded pharmaceuticals are controlled in the UK. The process applies across all four member nations and it allows manufacturers to freely set the list price of medicines, but with measures to contain NHS pharmaceutical spending.