§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the cost of general practitioner-prescribed hormone replacement therapy treatments in each of the standard regions; and if he will express this cost as a figure per head of female population over 40 years.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe information requested is as follows:
Net ingredient cost (NIC) of hormone replacement therapy treatments in 1989 Regional health authority NIC thousands £ Female population 40 and over Cost/Head £ Northern 1,419 742,946 1.91 Yorkshire 1,749 866,771 2.02 Trent 1,912 1,111,981 1.72 East Anglia 935 489,630 1.91 North West Thames 2,025 788,292 2.57 North East Thames 1,823 867,000 2.10 South East Thames 2,020 906,652 2.23 South West Thames 1,919 740,340 2.59 Wessex 1,928 711,776 2.71 Oxford 1,566 546,621 2.86 South Western 1,838 876,943 2.10 West Midlands 2,788 1,213,442 2.30 Mersey 1,405 576,683 2.44 North Western 2,174 943,210 2.30 England 25,501 11,382,287 2.24 Notes:
1. The estimates are based on a sample of prescriptions of 363W approximately 1 in 200 in England which were dispensed by community pharmacists.
2. The population data has been extracted from OPCS estimates.
§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to reach conclusions about the costs and benefits of long-term hormone replacement therapy.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe Department is funding a research project by Professor Martin Vessey of Oxford university, who is examining the costs and benefits of hormone replacement therapy in relation to the menopause. Professor Vessey's study is expected to be completed in early 1992.