In the UK Pharmaceutical business a Special Obtain is a product which is listed in the
Chemist and Druggist
''Chemist + Druggist'' (also known as C+D) is an online publication aimed at community pharmacists and pharmacy staff in the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (U ...
Directory or
Drug Tariff
The Drug Tariff, also known as Drug Tariff price, is that amount that the NHS repays pharmacies for generic prescription medications. It differs from prescription charges which are £9.35 per item/drug as of 2021 unless exemptions apply.
They are ...
which is not stocked by the mainline wholesalers.
Typical items are:
* White List Appliances (i.e. Coloplast
Ostomy In anatomy, a stoma (plural stomata or stomas) is any opening in the body. For example, a mouth, a nose, and an anus are natural stomata. Any hollow organ can be manipulated into an artificial stoma as necessary. This includes the esophagus, stoma ...
products)
* Food Substances (i.e.
Gluten free
A gluten-free diet (GFD) is a nutritional plan that strictly excludes gluten, which is a mixture of proteins found in wheat (and all of its species and hybrids, such as spelt, kamut, and triticale), as well as barley, rye, and oats. The inclu ...
breads)
* Branded
Generic drug
A generic drug is a pharmaceutical drug that contains the same chemical substance as a drug that was originally protected by chemical patents. Generic drugs are allowed for sale after the patents on the original drugs expire. Because the active ch ...
s (i.e.
Vennax)
* Named Patient Items (i.e.
Nabilone
Nabilone, sold under the brand name Cesamet among others, is a synthetic cannabinoid with therapeutic use as an antiemetic and as an adjunct analgesic for neuropathic pain. It mimics tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive compound ...
Capsules)
* Borderline Substances (i.e.
Acetylcysteine
Acetylcysteine, also known as ''N''-acetylcysteine (NAC), is a medication that is used to treat paracetamol overdose and to loosen thick mucus in individuals with chronic bronchopulmonary disorders like pneumonia and bronchitis. It has been used ...
)
* Short Supply Products (i.e.
Mediven Stockings)
* Made to Measure Hosiery
*
Homeopathic
Homeopathy or homoeopathy is a pseudoscientific system of alternative medicine. It was conceived in 1796 by the German physician Samuel Hahnemann. Its practitioners, called homeopaths, believe that a substance that causes symptoms of a dise ...
s
* Dressings, bandages & slings
* Cover creams
*
Dermatology
Dermatology is the branch of medicine dealing with the skin.''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary.'' Random House, Inc. 2001. Page 537. . It is a speciality with both medical and surgical aspects. A dermatologist is a specialist medical ...
products e.g. silk vests
* Allergy products
* Compression products
In June 2013 the
Daily Telegraph
Daily or The Daily may refer to:
Journalism
* Daily newspaper, newspaper issued on five to seven day of most weeks
* ''The Daily'' (podcast), a podcast by ''The New York Times''
* ''The Daily'' (News Corporation), a defunct US-based iPad new ...
infiltrated reporters into the annual Pharmacy Congress to investigate malpractice in the market for Specials. These products are generally individually priced. In November 2013 the paper reported that "The prices of more than 20,000 drugs could have been artificially inflated, with backhanders paid to chemists who agreed to sell them" and that
NHS Protect
NHS Protect formed part of the NHS Business Services Authority of the National Health Service until 2017. It had responsibility in England for tackling fraud, violence, bribery, corruption, criminal damage, theft and other unlawful action such a ...
had mounted an investigation.
References
{{reflist
External links
NHS Drug Tariff (England & Wales)
Pharmacy in the United Kingdom