§ Mr. DunnachieTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the cost per unit of peak flow meters available at present to his Department; and what he treats as an acceptable cost;
(2) if he will now announce a date from which peak flow meters will become available on prescription to asthmatics; and if he will make a statement;
(3) what information he has on the reasons for the delay in implementation of his Department's earlier announcement that peak flow meters would be made available on prescription to asthmatics; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyPeak flow meters were made available on prescription from 1 October 1990. Two brands of meter have been included in the prescribable list—the drug tariff—manufactured by Clement Clarke Limited and Vitalograph Limited.
Two models have been approved for each manufacturer: standard-range meters suitable for both adults and children and low-range meters for adults or children with serverely restricted air flow. Clement Clarke meters are priced in the drug tariff at £6.39 and Vitalograph meters at £5.99. These prices are both acceptable.
Recording charts in the form of a booklet are being issued free of charge via general practitioners for making a daily record of the user's peak expiratory flow rate. The booklet covers a year's usage and includes notes on the use and care of the meter.
I announced on 21 March 1990 that peak flow meters would become available on prescription. To be accepted for listing on the drug tariff, each company's meters had to conform to a Departmental specification, meet criteria of safety, efficacy and cost effectiveness, and be available in sufficient quantity to meet potential demand. Labelling, packaging, user instructions and prices were also the subject of consultation and negotiations.