HC Deb 04 July 1991 vol 194 c189W
Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total number of prescriptions of Ativan in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

[holding answer 3 July 1991]: The information requested is as follows:

Great Britain
Number of prescriptions
(thousands)
Drug name 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
Tab Lorazepam 2pt5mg 332.9 429.1 382.0 255.7 212.9
Tab Lorazepam 1mg 2,148.5 2,719.1 2,519.6 1,867.0 1,529.3
Ativan Tab 2pt5mg 92.7 0.2 — — —
Ativan Tab lmg 543.1 0.5 0.1 — —

Note:

1. Ativan was included in a list of drugs not prescribable at NHS expense from April 1985. However, its generic form, Lorazepam, remains prescribable.

2. These figures are based on a sample of dispensed prescriptions of approximately 1 in 200 in England and Wales and 1 in 100 in Scotland.