§ Dr. NaysmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the cost to the NHS of antidepressants prescribed by community pharmacists in England in(a) 1996 and (b) 1997; and what proportion of this was attributable to SSRIs. [50444]
§ Mr. MilburnPharmacists do not prescribe any medication. The information on prescriptions written by doctors is shown in the table.
The net ingredient cost of prescription items dispensed in the community for antidepressant drugs and selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs), 1996 and 1997 England 1996 1997 £ million percentage £ million percentage SSRIs 142.3 74 183.0 77 Other antidepressants 49.0 26 56.2 23 Total for antidepressant drugs 191.2 100 239.1 100 Notes
1. Antidepressant drugs are those described in the British National Formulary (BNF) section 4.3, "Antidepressant drugs". The therapeutic classifications are based on BNF, Number 32 (September 1996)
2. The data cover all prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors, and prescriptions submitted by prescribing doctors for items personally administered
3. The net ingredient cost refers to the cost of the drug before discounts and does not include any dispensing costs or fees. It does not include any adjustment for income obtained where a prescription charge is paid at the time the prescription is dispensed or where the patient has purchased a pre-payment certificate
§ Dr. NaysmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what quantity of each type of antidepressant was prescribed by community pharmacists in England in(a) 1996 and (b) 1997. [50445]
§ Mr. MilburnPharmacists do not prescribe any medication. The information on prescriptions written by doctors is shown in the table.
413W
Number of prescription items dispensed in the community for antidepressant drugs, 1996 and 1997 England Thousand Drug group 1996 1997 Tricyclic and related antidepressant drugs Dothiepin Hydrochloride 3,357 3,389 Amitriptyline Hydrochloride 2,787 3,062 Lofepramine Hydrochloride 918 894 Clomipramine Hydrochloride 529 516 Imipramine Hydrochloride 424 407
Number of prescription items dispensed in the community for antidepressant drugs, 1996 and 1997 England Thousand Drug group 1996 1997 Trazodone Hydrochloride 274 324 Trimipramine Maleate 300 281 Doxepin 171 165 Nortriptyline 158 151 Mianserin Hydrochloride 103 85 Amitriptyline Embonate 29 28 Maprotiline Hydrochloride 24 21 Protriptyline Hydrochloride 12 11 Amoxapine 11 9 Mirtazapine — 8 Desipramine Hydrochloride 8 6 Viloxazine Hydrochloride 1 1 Total for Tricyclic and related antidepressant drugs 9,106 9,358 Monoamine-Oxidase Ihibitors (Maois) Tranylcypromine Sulphate 50 45 Pheneizine Sulphate 47 44 Moclobemide 48 43 Isocarboxazid 9 8 Total for Monoamine-Oxidase Inhibitors (Maois) 153 140 SSRIs and related antidepressants Fluoxetine Hydrochloride 2,514 3,036 Paroxetine Hydrochloride 1,692 2,287 Sertraline Hydrochloride 727 905 Venlafaxine 176 364 Citalopram 126 264 Nefazodone Hydrochloride 88 101 Fluvoxamine Maleate 77 63 Total for SSRIs and related antidepressants 5,400 7,021 Other antidepressant drugs Flupenthixol Hydrochloride 298 293 Reboxetine — 7 Tryptophan 4 4 Total for other antidepressant drugs 302 304 Total for all antidepressant drugs 14,961 16,823 Notes
1. Antidepressant drugs are those described in the British National Formulary (BNF) section 4.3, "Antidepressant drugs". The therapeutic classifications are based on BNF, Number 32 (September 1996)
2. The data cover all prescriptions dispensed in the community, ie by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors, and prescriptions submitted by prescribing doctors for items personally administered