HC Deb 27 January 1998 vol 305 c203W
Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the methods of injecting drugs or insulin which(a) are and (b) are not prescribable; when these decisions were made; and if they are under review. [25039]

Mr. Milburn

Injection devices which may be prescribed by general practitioners on the National Health Service are listed in Part IX of the Drug Tariff and include a variety of hypodermic syringes and syringe needles. Disposable injection pens which come prefilled with insulin are regarded as a container for the insulin and because of that may also be prescribed. Reusable injection pens, and pen needles, may not be prescribed though we are considering whether they should be. Listing decisions have been made at different times over a period of several years.