§ Mr. CongdonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what mechanisms will be used by Prodigy to allow general practitioners to make choices from alternative lists; [6312]
(2) which skin preparations and drugs used in the treatment of skin disorders will appear in the first choice list provided for general practitioners in the Prodigy trial; [6311]
(3) if his Department has determined which general practitioner's practices will be included in the Prodigy trial; and if he will make a statement. [6310]
§ Ms HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the general practitioners prescribing computer pilot project, Prodigy, and its cost. [6239]
§ Mr. MaloneI refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Macclesfield (Mr. Winterton) on 18 December,Official Report, columns 945–46.
§ Mr. CongdonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if the drugs and preparations which appear on the first choice list offered by Prodigy will be generics. [6313]
§ Mr. MaloneThe majority of drugs are listed by approved name. The only exception is where it is established as clinically important that the patient should always receive the same brand, in which case the brand name has been stated.
Advice contained within the British National Formulary, and that of experts in clinical pharmacology, has been followed.
§ Mr. CongdonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how his Department will choose between a number of similarly efficacious products when deciding which will appear on the first choice list offered to general practitioners by Prodigy; [6314]
(2) what mechanisms are used to determine the preparations and drugs appearing in the first choice list of Prodigy. [6315]
§ Mr. MaloneWhere one or more drugs are clinically efficacious, choice for inclusion in the guidelines was then based on other factors including safety, known side effects, hest practice and cost. The guidelines were then referred to a clinical expert panel for peer review.
§ Mr. CongdonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health by what mechanisms products excluded from the first choice list under Prodigy can later he added to it. [6319]
1153W
§ Mr. MaloneThe content of the guidelines used in the project will be kept under review. Discussion with the medical profession and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry about how this is best done will take place in the new year.
§ Mr. CongdonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what surveys his Department has(a) carried out and (b) plans to carry out, in order to determine whether general practitioners are likely to take the first choices offered them by Prodigy or whether they will make alternative choices. [6320]
§ Mr. MaloneThe extent to which general practitioners use, amend or override the guidelines will be carefully monitored during the project.