§ Sir John HannamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if a drug which has been given market authorisation to be prescribed can be prevented from being administered to patients if the national health service executive so wishes; [14094]
(2) in what circumstances the national health service executive can restrict the prescription of a drug which has received market authorisation. [14092]
§ Mr. MaloneDoctors have the clinical freedom to prescribe the drugs their patients need, whether or not the product has a marketing authorisation or product licence. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has powers under the National Health Service Act 1977 to list in schedules 10 and 11 of the NHS (General Medical Services) Regulations 1992 drugs or other substances which are not to be prescribed, or which are to be prescribed only in certain circumstances, by general practitioners under the NHS. Drugs or other substances can be included in these schedules on the advice of the Advisory Committee for NHS Drugs and the Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances.