§ Mr. Gareth WardellTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will estimate the savings which would have accrued to the NHS if in the financial year 1992–93 all prescribable drugs that were out of patent had been generically prescribed.
§ Dr. MawhinneyIt is not possible to quantify accurately the potential savings to the national health service because the price differentials between branded and generic drugs are subject to fluctuations, not all drugs that are out of patent have a generic equivalent and it is not always clinically appropriate to prescribe a generic drug.