Asda To Sell Private Cancer Drugs At Cost Price

U.K. supermarket group Asda Group Ltd. Thursday said it will sell all cancer treatment drugs on private prescription at cost price, claiming the move will save patients thousands of pounds per treatment.

The Wal-Mart Stores Inc.-owned (WMT) chain--the second-largest supermarket retailer in the U.K. by sales and market share behind rival Tesco PLC (TSCO.LN )--said the not-for-profit price would be effective in its stores from May 24.

Lung cancer drug Iressa will be sold at a price of GBP2,167.71, compared to GBP2,601.2, GBP3,251.57 and GBP3,253.56 at high-street pharmacy rival Lloyds, Alliance Boots PLC's high-street peer Boots Group PLC and health and beauty retailer Superdrug respectively, the group said.

Asda also said it is working with suppliers to negotiate further discounts on the trade price of privately-prescribed cancer drugs, with any savings passed directly on to customers.

In March, Asda announced it would sell in vitro fertilization medication on private prescription, also at cost price.

-By Simon Zekaria, Dow Jones Newswires; +44 207 842-9410; simon.zekaria@dowjones.com

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