Seven days in medicine: 14-20 February 2018
BMJ 2018; 360 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.k799 (Published 22 February 2018) Cite this as: BMJ 2018;360:k799
Job losses
Doctors at medical defence organisation face redundancy
The Medical Protection Society is considering making several of its medically qualified legal advisers redundant and replacing them with other “experts” to speed up its response to queries. Rob Hendry, its medical director, said, “Members would benefit from having doctors, lawyers, case advisers, and managers all in one team, focused on getting the best outcome for them.” He said that if the proposals were implemented the staff reduction would be “limited,” although he could not provide numbers because the consultation process was ongoing. The society employs 49 doctors as advisers. (Full story doi:10.1136/bmj.k745)
Drug pricing
Ireland seeks membership of discount group
Ireland’s health minister, Simon Harris, sent a letter asking to begin negotiations to join the BeNeLuxA group, an association of four small European nations that club together to negotiate better prices for new and costly medicines. The group currently comprises Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, although France is also reportedly considering membership. In the future, said Harris, member nations may also pool expertise and post-marketing data.
NICE recommends tivozanib after price deal
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommended tivozanib as an option for treating adults who have previously untreated advanced renal cell carcinoma, after the …
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