The UK government has launched the world’s first ‘subscription-style’ payment model for antibiotics, in a bid to incentivise the development of new treatments and thus address the growing problem of antimicrobial resistance.

The NHS is offering two contracts to pay pharma companies at the start of their work for access to innovative antibiotics that can provide alternative treatment options for serious infections, such as bloodstream infections, sepsis and hospital-acquired pneumonia.

Development of antibiotics isn’t particularly commercially attractive as the field is linked with high cost and low returns. Consequently, few new classes of antibiotic have been discovered since the 1980s and, for most antimicrobials, there are few replacement or alternative products in development and even fewer that target priority pathogens.

This has spurred the introduction of the world’s first ‘subscription-style’ payment model for antibiotics. Under the model, pharma companies will be paid upfront for access to their antibiotic product, based on its value to the NHS as opposed to how much is used, in the hope that this will encourage new research and development.

“Resistance to antibiotics is increasing and it’s imperative we take urgent action on a national and global scale to protect future generations,” said health and social care secretary Matt Hancock. “This new way of buying antibiotics for patients in the NHS breaks down restrictive barriers to offer companies a vital springboard to foster innovation and develop potentially life-saving new products.”

Two drugs that have proven to be both safe and effective will be selected to undergo health technology assessment by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) throughout 2021 using adapted methods for antimicrobials. This will then be used to decide the level of the subscription payment.

“We hope that this project will inspire healthcare systems across the world to consider adopting similar models so that collectively, we deliver meaningful incentives that reinvigorate the global antimicrobial pipeline,” said Professor Gill Leng, NICE’s chief executive.

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has launched a public consultation on a “new-look, more user friendly” Code of Practice.

Essentially, it is proposing to update the Code to bring it closely in line with the 2019 European Code of Practice, and also its language to help ensure it is as accessible as possible.

A key change is to arrange the Code into six themed sections according to the activity or audience: overarching requirements; promotion of medicines to health professionals and other relevant decision makers; interactions with health professionals, other relevant decision makers and healthcare organisations; interactions with health professionals, other relevant decision makers and healthcare organisations, patient organisations and the public; interactions with the public; and annual disclosure requirements.

“These changes will make the Code more user friendly, not just for companies, but also the NHS bodies and patient groups they work with. I encourage as many people as possible to have their say in this consultation,” said ABPI chief executive Richard Torbett.