§ Mr. Blenkinsopasked the Minister of Health whether he will give information regarding recent voluntary reductions of prices of proprietary and basic drugs and dressings prescribed under the National Health Service.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodSince May, 1953, of the 73 most expensive and frequently prescribed proprietary preparations, 29 have been reduced in price (many by between 20 per cent. and 50 per cent.), some of these reductions reflecting in part reductions in the basic drug prices. In addition, special provisional reductions (which were mentioned in reply to the hon. Member for Reigate (Mr. Vaughan-Morgan) on 31st January), ranging up to 20 per cent., were recently arranged with manufacturers in the prices of 19 proprietary preparations.
35WDuring the same period, the prices of certain important basic drugs and their corresponding products have been reduced, some of them several times. These voluntary reductions include some recent ones (since June, 1954), ranging up to 20 per cent., in the prices of penicillin, streptomycin, chloramphenicol, hormone and vitamin products.
There have been no recent reductions in the prices of the main types of surgical dressings used in the National Health Service.