§ Mr. WhittingdaleTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to limit the prescription of oral contraceptives.
§ Mr. SackvilleI have asked the Advisory Committee on National Health Service Drugs to review the range of contraceptives available on national health service prescription. They will ensure that all clinical need continues to be met.
§ Mrs. FyfeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she will publish a list showing the prescribed brands of oral contraceptive, their dose of hormones, and the price of a month's supply.
§ Dr. Mawhinney[holding answer 8 February 1993]: The information requested is as follows.
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Brand and Active Constituents Price per month Combined oral contraceptives Binovum 7 tablets of norethisterone 500 micrograms and ethinyloestradiol 35 micrograms; 14 tablets of norethisterone 1mg and ethinyloestradiol 35 micrograms 74.7p Brevinor norethisterone 500 micrograms and ethinyloestradiol 35 micrograms 57.3p Cilest norgestimate 250 micrograms, ethinyloestradiol 35 micrograms £1.90 Conova 30 ethynodiol diacetate 2mg, ethinyloestradiol 30 micrograms 80p Eugynon 30 levonorgestrel 250 micrograms, ethinyloestradiol 30 micrograms 69p Femodene gestodene 75 micrograms, ethinyloestradiol 30 micrograms £1.90 Femodene ED (as for Femodene but with 7 additional placebo tablets) £1.90 Loestrin 20 norethisterone acetate 1mg, ethinyloestradiol 20 micrograms 86p 757W
Brand and Active Constituents Price per month Loestrin 30 norethisterone acetate 1.5mg, ethinyloestradiol 30 micrograms £1.26 Logynon 6 tablets of levonorgestrel 50 micrograms and ethinyloestradiol 30 micrograms; 5 tablets of levonorgestrel 75 micrograms and ethinyloestradiol 40 micrograms; 10 tablets of levonorgestrel 125 micrograms and ethinyloestradiol 30 micrograms 95p Logynon ED (as for Logynon but with 7 additional placebo tablets) — Marvelon desogestrel 150 micrograms, ethinyloestradiol 30 micrograms £1.48 Mercilon desogestrel 150 micrograms, ethinyloestradiol 20 micrograms £2.40 Microgynon 30 levonorgestrel 150 micrograms, ethinyloestradiol 30 micrograms 60p Minulet gestodene 75 micrograms, ethinyloestradiol 30 micrograms £1.90 Neocon 1/35 norethisterone 1 mg, ethinyloestradiol 35 micrograms Norimin norethisterone 1 mg, ethnyloestradiol 35 micrograms 65p Norinyl-1 norethisterone 1 mg, mestranol 50 micrograme 63p Ortho-Novin 1/50 norethisterone 1 mg, mestranol 50 micrograms 78p Ovran levonorgestrel 250 micrograms, ethinyloestradiol 50 micrograms 37p Ovran 30 levonorgestrel 250 micrograms, ethinyloestradiol 30 micrograms 57p Ovranette levonorgestrel 150 micrograms, ethinyloestradiol 30 micrograms 62p Ovysmen norethisterone 500 micrograms, ethinyloestradiol 35 micrograms 57p Synphase 7 tablets of norethisterone 500 micrograms and ethinyloestradiol 35 micrograms; 9 tablets of norethisterone 1 milligram and ethinyloestradiol 35 micrograms; 5 tablets of norethisterone 500 micrograms and ethinyloestradiol 35 micrograms £1.11 Triadene 6 tablets of gestodene 50 micrograms and ethinyloestradiol 30 micrograms; 5 tablets of gestodene 70 micrograms and ethinyloestradiol 40 micrograms; 10 tablets of gestodene 100 micrograms and ethinyloestradiol 30 micrograms £2.65
Brand and Active Constituents Price per month Tri-Minulet 6 tablets of gestodene 50 micrograms and ethinyloestradiol 30 micrograms; 5 tablets of gestodene 70 micrograms and ethinyloestradiol 40 micrograms; 10 tablets of gestodene 100 micrograms and ethinyloestradiol 30 micrograms £2.65 Trinordiol 6 tablets of levonorgestrel 50 micrograms and ethinyloestradiol 30 micrograms; 5 tablets of levonorgestrel 75 micrograms and ethinyloestradiol 40 micrograms; 10 tablets of levonorgestrel 125 micrograms and ethinyloestradiol 30 micrograms £1.09 TriNovum 7 tablets of norethisterone 500 micrograms and ethinyloestradiol 35 micrograms; 7 tablets of norethisterone 750 micrograms and ethinyloestradiol 35 micrograms; 7 tablets of norethisterone 1 milligram and ethinyloestradiol 35 micrograms 94p TriNovum ED (as for TriNovum but with 7 additional placebo tablets) 98p Emergency contraception Schering PC4 levonorgestrel 250 micrograms, ethinyloestradiol 50 micrograms 1£1.40 Preogesterone-only contraceptives Femulen ethynodiol diacetate 500 micrograms 94p Micronor norethisterone 350 micrograms 63p Microval levonorgestrel 30 micrograms £1.00 Neogest norgestrel 75 micrograms 78p Norgeston levonorgestrel 30 micrograms 78p Noriday norethisterone 350 micrograms 60p 1 (for 4 tablets, ie one course) Source: British National Formulary no. 24 (1992)