§ Mr. Hordernasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be 435W the saving if aspirins could not be prescribed by general practitioners as part of the National Health Service.
§ Dr. OwenIn 1974, the estimated net ingredient cost to the health service of prescriptions for aspirin tablets including those prescribed by a proprietary name was about £240,000. In addition chemists' fees and allowances, offset by estimated prescription charges, amounted to approximately £170,000. The total saving therefore would have been £410,000, assuming, which is unlikely, that none of the usually more costly alternatives including the preparations that contain aspirin was prescribed instead. However, only the doctor concerned can decide whether or not his patient needs aspirin, or, indeed, any other drug.