§ Mr. Macleanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will list the number of drugs which are available as alternatives to each of those supplied to the health Service by F. Hoffmann La Roche & Co., A.G., its subsidiary and associated companies including Roche Products; and what is the percentage by which these alternatives are cheaper or dearer than the F. Hoffmann La Roche products;
(2) whether F. Hoffmann La Roche & Co., A.G. and its associated or subsidiary companies including Roche Products have ever been asked by his Department to reduce the cost of drugs supplied to the National Health 415W Service or to refund the partial cost of drugs supplied on the grounds of excessive profits being made by the companies.
(3) if he will list the products and medicines supplied to the Health Service by F. Hoffmann La Roche & Co., A.G. and all its subsidiary and associated companies including Roche Products Ltd.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeMIMS, a copy of which I am sending to my hon. Friend, gives details of companies' brand name products by therapeutic class, altenatives which prescribers may wish to consider, and the prices of each. Where generic drugs are available as alternatives to non-patented products, the price to the National Health Service is shown in the Drug Tariff eg Valium 5mg 1000 tablets £13.62, diazepam £2.32; Mogadon 5mg-500 tablets £12.02, nitraxepam £2.20. Leaving aside the reductions of 2.5 per cent. in the prices of National Health Service medicines which all compaines were asked to make in 1983, Roche Products Limited have not been required to reduce prices or make repayments on grounds of excessive profits since the settlement following the Monopolies Commission report on the supply of Chlordiazepoxide and Diazepam in 1973.