Rybelsus® reimbursement prices redetermined for August 2026

Following discussions with NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), Novo Nordisk Ltd has updated its UK list price of Rybelsus® (Semaglutide) tablets for all strengths (1.5mg, 4mg and 9mg) from £78.48 to £120 per pack, effective from 5th August 2026.

Under the current price change timetable, the new Rybelsus® list prices would apply to reimbursement for both branded and generically written prescriptions prescriptions dispensed from September 2026. However, following representations made by Community Pharmacy England on behalf of community pharmacy owners, DHSC has agreed to redetermine the August 2026 reimbursement prices for Rybelsus® (Semaglutide) tablets to reflect the increased NHS list prices. This means that for any Rybelsus® prescriptions dispensed in August 2026 reimbursement will be based on the new list prices of £120 per pack (instead of published August Drug Tariff prices of £78.48). Please see the link to the announcement published on NHSBSA’s website.

This intervention by Community Pharmacy England has prevented community pharmacy owners from losing an estimated £2.6 million following the Rybelsus® list price increase.

The re-determined Rybelsus® (Semaglutide) reimbursement prices for August are outlined in the table below:

Please note: the redetermined reimbursement prices will apply to August prescriptions (branded and generic) even though the August 2026 Drug Tariff still display the previous list prices. The new list prices will be updated in the September 2026 Drug Tariff. 

Community Pharmacy England’s remit is restricted to NHS pharmacy services and we are therefore unable to address queries relating to the private supply of Rybelsus®.

Background

Following a change to the list price of a product, the corresponding Drug Tariff and/or reimbursement price adjustment is influenced by two key factors:

• The type of product i.e. brand (proprietary) or generic (non-proprietary); and
• The effective price change date (i.e. the date the list price is updated by the supplier) – whether this was on or before the 8th of the month or after the 8th of the month

The impact of the price change timetable on reimbursement is outlined below:

Generics with list price changes

• If the list price is updated on or before the 8th of the month, the new price would apply to reimbursement in the same month
• If the list price is updated after the 8th of the month, the new price would apply to reimbursement from the following month

Brands with list price changes

• If the list price is updated on or before the 8th of the month, the new price would apply to reimbursement the following month
• If the list price is updated after the 8th of the month, the new price would apply to reimbursement from the month following the next

Under the current price change mechanism, pharmacy owners would have to wait one (or in some cases two months) before any NHS list prices changes are applied to reimbursement of branded products. The delays in reimbursement prices catching up with any NHS list price increases can lead to dispensing at a loss, as pharmacies will be reimbursed based on the previous NHS list price until the price change is adjusted in line with the price change timetable. The impact is more significant for products with large list price increases or for high volume lines. To avoid pharmacy owners dispensing these products at a loss, Community Pharmacy England requested DHSC to redetermine the reimbursement prices for the products listed above.

Community Pharmacy England continues to seek a review of the current price change timetable for branded products so that there is no extra months’ delay in applying any new list prices changes to reimbursement.