§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for Health on what criteria the drug Ativan was originally made available; and what drugs its availability was intended to supersede.
§ Dr. MawhinneyAtivan is a proprietary brand of lorazepam, one of the benzodiazepine group of drugs. It was licensed by the licensing authority on the basis of the normal criteria of quality, efficacy and safety. Whether or not a particular drug is intended to supersede another one is not relevant to the licensing procedure.
Under the selected list arrangements, general practitioners are not permitted to prescribe Ativan tablets under the National Health Service, although lorazepam tablets can be prescribed generically.