OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether trends exist in NHS drug funding decisions in Scotland over recent years. METHODS: In 2008, the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) published an annual report illustrating drug submission statistics for that year. No further annual reports or related data has been published by the SMC since then. In the absence of such reports, a quantitative analysis was performed including all SMC appraisals published between January 2008 and December 2011 to investigate whether any trends exist in the decisions rendered by the SMC. The analysis was first performed on all submissions in total and then by submission type. RESULTS: On average 80 (range 73 – 88) submission assessments were performed by the SMC per year.  The proportion of decisions granted by the SMC over the four years was relatively stable with an average of 37%/ 32%/ 31% accounting for full recommendations/ restricted recommendations and non-recommendations. In the abbreviated submission process, the proportion of recommended submissions has decreased gradually (20 [80%] abbreviated submissions in 2008 to 8 [50%] in 2011) with a parallel increase in restricted recommendations (4 [16%] in 2008 to 8 [50%] in 2011). The number of non-submissions has also increased progressively over the last three years, accounting for 19% of assessments performed by the SMC in 2011. High variations in the proportion recommendations (range 14 – 38%) and restricted recommendations (range 11 – 43%) granted for resubmissions were observed across the years.  CONCLUSIONS: The analysis shows that over the four years investigated, the proportion of recommendations, restricted recommendations and non-recommendations granted for reimbursement submissions in Scotland remained fairly consistent. At a closer look, clear trends were evident for abbreviated submission decisions. Eventually around 85% of SMC submissions will receive funding through either a full recommendation, restricted recommendation or resubmission recommendation.