An independent review of the way drugs are assessed for use on the NHS is to be launched, Health Secretary Shona Robison announced today.

The review will be led by former NHS Fife Medical Director, Dr Brian Montgomery, and will look at how the changes made to the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) process in 2014 have improved patient access to medicines for rare and end-of-life conditions.

Further to this it will look to establish the efficiency of the NHS in getting patients access to newly licensed drugs.

A range of reforms have already been introduced by the Scottish Medicines Consortium, including measures designed to give more patients and clinicians a bigger say when considering drugs for the treatment at end of life and very rare conditions.

The review is expected to be complete by the summer.

Health Secretary Shona Robison said: “Access to new medicines for rare or end-of-life conditions is an extremely complex issue.

“Since we introduced our £90m New Medicines Fund and made changes to the SMC process in 2014, 26 medicines have been approved under the new system, and together with other reforms have benefited over 1,000 patients in Scotland.

“However, with new treatments coming to market all the time, it is important to take stock of the progress to date to continually assure ourselves that our systems for assessing and accessing new drugs are keeping pace and meeting the expectations of patients. An important part of this is that the NHS pays a fair price for these new drugs.

“This review will help to take forward further reforms in the access to new medicines, building on the positive progress achieved already. I look forward to working with Dr Montgomery as his work progresses.”

Professor Jonathan Fox, Chairman of Scottish Medicines Consortium, said: “We welcome today’s announcement about the review to be carried out by Dr Brian Montgomery.

"We are committed to continually reviewing the changes that we have made in SMC to increase transparency, give patients and their representatives a greater role, and increase access to new medicines.

"We look forward to hearing further views from all those who engage with our processes.”