Page 14 - P4304.1-V106 PSUK Feb Mag

All about

Generics

With Dave Lea, Director of Trading and Generics, PHOENIX.

How long have you been working at PHOENIX?

It is with great pleasure that I am able to say that I have now been north of 20 years
with PHOENIX. That in its own right is testimony to the working environment I operate
in, the challenges we collectively rise to meet and the rewards we receive, not just
financially but even more importantly in terms of satisfaction with the job. And on a
personal note I have also been able to achieve my ambition of gaining my Private Pilot’s
License and even flying in Spitfires and Mustangs. Now that is an experience!

Can you tell us more about your job?

In a nutshell it is my departments job to ensure that we buy generics at the most
advantageous price in a market often fluctuating in availability, to provide the most
competitive price and the best service possible to PSUK members. It’s a commodity
marketplace framed predominantly by Category M, flexing to accommodate market
forces and a global purchasing sum.

What is your view on the Generics market?

The market has certainly changed since my early days here. The level of competition
has increased, although dispensing doctors have been fortunate in being shielded from
a deluge of contacts which have little or no understanding of the channel outside of a
pure price, which is often uncompetitive across a portfolio of product. Yes, on occasion
the odd product briefly rises in price before settling back again but at present we are
not seeing some of the shortages we have in the past in the generic category.

In a commodity market, when there is ample supply, it starts to put pressure on the
pricing which is why we are seeing generics pricing at the lowest it has been for a long
while.

It also directly affects the Drug Tariff and therefore the income each of you
receives. It’s fair to say over recent years many of our competitors have come under
intense pressure, magnified by the requirement by the MHRA for GDP compliance
amongst all WDA holders, which saw in turn the largest short line operator DE go
into administration. Be assured however PSUK and PHOENIX have every intention of
continuing the journey alongside you.

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