NHS is spending over £1 billion on just four drugs, latest figures show.
Of its depleted £116 billion budget, the NHS now spends 15% on medications and treatments, which is 30% higher than it was five years ago, up from £13 billion in 2011 to £16.8 billion in the last year.
According to data from NHS Digital, the most expensive drug was Adalimumab – used to treat arthritis – costing £416 million.
Ranibizumab – used to help ease macular degeneration – was responsible for nearly £249 million of the NHS’ budget.
Etanercept – an arthritis drug – cost £230 million, while Aflibercept – bowel cancer treatment – cost £198 million.
Infliximab – £178,179 million – used to treat Crohn’s disease, Rituximab – £155,893 million – used to treat arthritis, Trastuzumab – £152,037 million – used to treat breast and stomach cancer, Lenalidomide – £141,840 million – used to treat myeloma, Rivaroxaban – £106,586 million – used as an anticoagulant, Imatinib – £89,067 million – used to treat leukaemia.
