A new survey conducted for the ABPI shows that public opinion on whether the UK spends enough money on medicines is split down the middle, with younger people tending to believe it does.

The ComRes poll reveals that just over half (52%) of English adults believe that not enough of the NHS budget is being spent on medicines, meaning 48% believe it does.

The survey of more than 1,700 adults was conducted on behalf of the ABPI in August, and shows that this percentage rises slightly in older adults, with three in five (60%) adults aged 55 and above believing that the NHS’s spend on medicines was ‘not enough’.

But this is compared with two in five (40%) of adults aged 18 to 24, meaning 60% did believe enough was being spent.

Opinion was also divided across the sexes, with three in five women (57%) compared to half (47%) of men polled believing that not enough is currently spent on medicines, compared with other NHS spending on hospitals, staff and equipment.

The total NHS drugs bill spend was £13 billion last year, with £12 billion of this being disbursed on patented medicines.

For more details, go to: http://www.pharmafile.com/news/195121/public-opinion-divided-over-uk-drugs-spend