§ Mr. Blenkinsopasked the Minister of Health whether he will make a further 62W report on the result of discussions regarding the cost of proprietary and non-proprietary drugs and appliances.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodDiscussions about the method of fixing the prices of proprietary preparations have continued. Proposals which had been framed by representatives of the industry have recently been revised by them in the light of these discussions, and I am at present examining in detail the revised proposals. With regard to standard drugs and the main types of surgical dressings, as I stated in the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 13th June last, investigations of manufacturers' costs and profits in both these fields were concluded earlier this year, and I am satisfied that there is at present no call for intervention by the Government. Basic drugs, which cannot be dealt with separately from proprietary preparations, are still under investigation, and meantime the firms themselves have continued to reduce the prices of some important drugs. Since the price reductions to which I referred in my reply to the hon. Member on 17th June last, I understand that the manufacturers have further reduced the prices of many penicillin products by about 12½ per cent., of streptomycin products by about 15 per cent., of chloramphenicol products by 2½ per cent., and of a number of hormone products by varying amounts ranging up to 50 per cent.