§ 40. Mrs. Joyce Butlerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what advice he has given to general practitioners on the avoidance of over-prescription of drugs to elderly patients, in the light of recent surveys indicating the ill health and distress this practice 628W can induce to the patients concerned; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MoyleI assume my hon. Friend is referring to part of a study published in December 1976 by the Royal College of General Practitioners. The authors of the part of the study in question say their "preliminary findings suggest further research" and it would, therefore, be premature to draw general inferences from the limited data available. In any event, it would not be appropriate for me to advise doctors how to prescribe drugs for their patients. That is a matter on which individual doctors look to pro fessional sources for guidance.
§ 59. Miss Fookesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what investigations he is making into the wastage of drugs through over-prescription by doctors.
§ Mr. EnnalsPrescribing is a difficult art and some wastage may result when a patient's condition fails to respond to the drug prescribed and the therapy needs to be changed. It may also result from the failure of patients to follow their doctors' advice on dosage and period of treatment. These and other factors will be considered in talks between my Department and representatives of the medical profession.