Dumfries & Galloway Health Board
Prescribing Support Team

SMC Matters

The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) provides advice to NHS Boards and their Area Drug and Therapeutics Committees (ADTCs) across Scotland. The SMC requires pharmaceutical companies to complete a New Product Submission form at the same time as the launch of the product.

The role of the SMC is to review status of all newly licensed medicines, new formulations or major new indications for established products (licensed from January 2002). The remit of the SMC excludes the assessment of vaccines, branded generics, blood products and diagnostic drugs. The review of medicines containing devices will be confined to those licensed as medicines by the MHRA/EMEA.

This link provides a chance to view the SMC decisions. The Pharmacy and Therapeutics Regional Strategic Group (PTRSG) acknowledge this guidance and make decisions with regard to using the drugs in Dumfries and Galloway and whether or not the or new indication should be included in the joint formulary.

Medicines not accepted for use in Scotland by the SMC will not be included in the formulary and Prescribers may be asked to justify their use of such medicines. Black triangle drugs will also not in general be included in the formulary unless there is no alternative for a previously unmet need.