# Prescribing of high-cost targeted therapies in England is diverging by region

## TL;DR

Prescribing of expensive targeted therapies for chronic inflammatory disorders in England is becoming more uneven across regions over time.

## Contribution

The study reveals growing geographic disparities in the use of targeted therapies in England from 2019 to 2025.

## Key findings

- Regional variation in prescribing rates increased significantly between 2019 and 2025.
- The gap between highest and lowest prescribing areas widened over time.
- Prescribing rates ranged from 2.0 to 14.2 per 1000 people by 2025.

## Abstract

To examine regional variation in the prescribing of targeted therapies for chronic inflammatory disorders in England between 2019 and 2025.

Retrospective observational study.

This study analysed Secondary Care Medicines Data from all NHS hospitals in England to evaluate time-trends in prescribing rates of targeted therapies by Integrated Care Board (ICB).

Substantial and increasing regional variation in prescribing rates for targeted therapies was observed between 2019 and 2025. The disparity between the highest and lowest prescribing ICBs increased over time, with rates ranging from 2.0 to 6.5 per 1000 people in 2019 and 3.4 to 14.2 per 1000 people in 2025.

There is marked and growing regional variation in the prescribing of targeted therapies across England. Further research should explore the reasons for this divergence to ensure equitable access to these highly effective treatments for patients with chronic inflammatory disorders, irrespective of geography.