§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will invite a member of the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee to join his expert advisers on the preparation of a limited list of drugs; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he will invite a member of the Royal College of Nursing to join his expert advisers on the preparation of a limited list of drugs; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe experts from the medical and pharmaceutical professions who are advising the Chief Medical Officer on the content of the limited list have virtually completed their work. There is no need to invite anyone else to join them at this stage. One of the experts, Mr. David Coleman, is vice-chairman of the pharmaceutical services negotiating committee. That committee and members of the Royal College of Nursing have also given valuable advice which is being considered by our experts.
§ Mr. Lathamasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether, as a result of his consultations, he intends to include the drug Brufen in his limited list proposals;
(2) whether, as a result of his consultations, he intends to include Tagamet or Indocid suppositories in his limited list proposals.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeBrufen, Tagamet and Indocid were never in the categories of drugs affected by our limited list proposals.
§ Mr. Meadowcroftasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he intends to over-rule local drug and therapeutic committees where hospital formularies differ from his proposals for a limited list.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeHealth authorities will be asked to apply to the hospital service the limitations being introduced to the range of drugs prescribable in the family practitioner services. The precise arrangements have yet to be determined.