§ Mrs. Dunwoodyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make plastic syringes available to diabetics free of charge.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeIf such syringes, which are designed for single use, are considered clinically essential for a particular diabetic patient they may be provided free of charge through the hospital service. Our Department estimates that it would cost £10 million or thereabouts each year to make single-use syringes with fixed needles generally available on prescription and there are more pressing priorities for expenditure in the NHS at the moment.
§ Mrs. Dunwoodyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the reasons for the change to the use of U100 insulin which requires plastic syringes.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeStandardisation on a single strength of insulin should remove the potential for mistakes that exists when several strengths are in use. The principal reason for the choice of U100 insulin is that it is easier for the patient to relate the dosage of that strength to the markings on the syringe, thereby reducing the change of under or over dosage. Reusable glass and metal syringes have been approved for use with U100 insulin, and arrangements have been made with the manufacturers to co-ordinate their introduction with the change to the new strength.