§ 28. Miss WILKINSONasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that certain insurance committees have decided that insurance practitioners must not order for their patients vitamin preparations on the ground that they are not drugs but food, whilst other committees allow doctors to prescribe vitamin preparations; and whether he can ensure that insurance patients are not deprived of such necessary products recognised by modern medical practice?
§ The MINISTER of HEALTH (Mr. Chamberlain)The question whether any particular preparation can be regarded as a medicine within the meaning of the National Health Insurance Acts is one to be determined by the local insurance committee, and would only come before me formally on an appeal from their decision. I am, however, aware that there is a divergence of practice between committees on the point, and I am proposing to issue a statement for the purpose of assisting insurance practitioners and committees in their consideration of it in future.