§ LORD ARCHIBALDasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether there is any progress to report on the question of the labelling of prescribed medicines.
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SECURITY (LORD ABERDARE)Arrangements are being made for the earliest possible implementation of the agreement reached between the Councils of the British Medical Association and the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain that the present convention as to the labelling of dispensed medicines should be changed. At present the chemist puts the name of the medicine on the label only if the doctor marks1236WA the prescription "NP". The main provision of the new convention is that the National Health Service prescription form will bear the letters "NP" and that the chemist will label the medicines accordingly unless the prescriber indicates the contrary by crossing out these letters. The agreement also applies to private prescriptions.
Now that agreement has been reached between the Department of Health and Social Security and the Central National Health Service (Chemist Contractors) Committee on payment in England and Wales for the additional work of chemists, the new "NP" procedure can be introduced as soon as revised National Health Service prescription forms have been printed and distributed. The earliest practicable operative date is April 1,1972. Meanwhile the present convention whereby doctors signify their wishes as to labelling will continue to apply.
House adjourned at half past seven o'clock.