HC Deb 01 November 1994 vol 248 cc1077-80W
Mr. Matthew Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the expenditure on general practitioner-prescribed anti-asthma medication and preparations in each family health services authority area in 1993–94 expressed in terms of(a) net ingredient cost and (b) net ingredient cost per capita.

Mr. Malone

The information will be placed in the Library.

Asthma Prescribing Figures-England 1984 to 1993
Prescriptions ('000) BNF Section 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993
3.1.1.1 Selective beta-adrenoceptor stimulants 9,075.3 10,125.3 10,736.1 11,264.3 12,231.3 12,526.8 13,450.0 15,460.9 16160.9 17125.6
3.1.1.2 Other adrenoceptor stimulants 374.5 504.0 633.8 573.3 640.5 591.2 607.0 673.2 615.7 638.9

Mr. Matthew Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total expenditure on general practitioner-prescribed anti-asthma medication and preparations in 1993–94, broken down by drugs prescribed.

Mr. Malone

Information on individual drugs prescribed is commercially confidential. Information broken down by British National Formulary classification to sub section level is shown in the table.

Asthma Prescribing Figures - England 1993
BNF Section Prescriptions (000s) Net Ingredient Cost(£000s)
3.1.1.1 Selective bete-andrenoceptor stimulants 17,125.6 119,208.8
3.1.1.2 Other andrenoceptor stimulants 638.9 1,358.6
3.1.2 Anti muscarinic bronchodilators 1,341.8 19,491.5
3.1.3 Theophyline 2,194.2 11,008.9
3.1.4 Compound bronchodilator preparations 482.4 4,573.7
3.2.0 Corticosteroids 8,526.1 172,887.3
3.3.0 Cromoglycate and related therapy 936.1 17,979.9
21.12 Peak flow meters and inhaler devices 329.0 2,079.5
Total 31,576.1 348,588.2

Notes:

1. The data are based on items and cover all prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors and prescriptions submitted by prescribing doctors for items personally administered.

2. Drugs used in the treatment of asthma are contained in the British National Formulary sections 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3. The therapeutic classifications are based on the September 1992 issue. The drugs for Broncholidators may be used for other conditions.

Mr. Matthew Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was(a) the total number of prescriptions for treatment of asthma and (b) the number of prescriptions of inhalations, broken down by drugs prescribed, to (i) the whole population and (ii) those aged under 16 years for each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Mr. Malone

Information on individual prescribed drugs is commercially confidential. The number of prescribed items for asthma preparations down to British National Formulary sub-section level for the whole population is shown in table 1. The number of prescription items for asthma preparations for patients exempt on grounds of youth down to BNF section level is shown in table 2.

Asthma Prescribing Figures - England 1984 to 1993
Prescriptions ('000) BNF Section 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993
3.1.2 Antimuscarinic bronchodilators 373.6 431.8 496.3 552.1 658.1 706.0 856.6 1,005.1 1,193.5 1,341.8
3.1.3 Theophylline 2,845.0 3,125.6 3,187.4 3,216.2 3,196.8 2,955.8 2,802.0 2,634.9 2,409.5 2,194.2
3.1.4 Compound bronchodilator preparations 883.2 698.2 645.9 662.7 672.1 701.2 706.2 619.0 545.3 482.4
3.2.0 Corticosteroids 2,129.4 2,486.1 2,919.2 3.426.4 4,031.3 4,391.5, 5,040.0 6,265.6 7,414.0 8,526.1
3.3.0 Cromoglycate and related therapy 1,528.4 1,480.9 1,427.1 1,299.8 1,206.9 1,083.1 998.0 983.8 924.9 938.1
21.12 Peak flow meters and inhaler devices — — — — — — 61.8 258.1 297.0 329.0
Total Asthma Preparations 17,209.2 18,851.9 20,045.8 20,994.8 22,637.1 22,955.6 24,521.6 27,900.6 29,560.8 31,576.1
Net Ingredient Cost (£'000) BNF Section
3.1.1.1 Selective beta-adrenoceptor stimulants 35,244.7 39,389.0 43,591.2 47,785.6 59,442.5 66,488.7 76,783.0 98,538.7 109,908.4 119,208.8
3.1.1.2 Other adrenoceptor stimulants 1,019.4 1,232.3 1,426.2 1,304.6 1,424.8 1,345.4 1,280.3 1,354.0 1,301.1 1,358.6
3.1.2 Antimuscarinic bronchodilators 1,971.8 2,398.4 2,857.0 3,410.3 5,949.5 7,658.2 9,784.0 12,664.0 16,354.1 19,491.5
3.1.3 Theophylline 12,274.5 13,350.5 14,173.7 14,435.8 14,993.7 14,081.5 13,458.1 12,708.3 11,860.2 11,008.9
3.1.4 Compound bronchodilator preparations 3,674.7 3,448.3 3,787.1 4,453.5 5,137.4 5,498.5 5,773.0 5,221.4 4,914.2 4,573.7
3.2.0 Cortcosteroids 18,343.8 23,726.4 31,709.1 41,876.6 61,021.2 71,368.7 86,988.4 112,412.9 142,521.8 172,887.3
3.3.0 Cromoglycate and related therapy 16,591.2 17,005.2 17,779.5 17,578.0 17,737.8 16,954.5 16,364.5 15,956.9 16,448.7 17,979.9
21.12 Peak flow meters and inhaler devices — — — — — — 378.2 1,604.4 1,858.3 2,079.5
Total Asthma Preparations 89,120.1 100,550.1 115,324.4 130,844.4 165,706.9 183,395.5 210,809.5 260,460.8 305,166.8 348,588.2

Notes:

1 Data up to 1990 are based on fees and cover prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists and appliance contractors only.

2 Data from 1991 are based on items and cover prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors, and prescriptions submitted by prescribing doctors for items personally administered.

Table 2—England
1992 Prescription items(1000s)
3.1. Bronchodilators 3,438.8
3.2. Corticosteroids 1,188.1
3.3. Cromoglycate and related therapy 445.5
Total 5,072.4
1993
3.1. Bronchodilators 3,731.7
3.2. Corticosteroids 1,461.3
3.3. Cromoglycate and related therapy 481.4
Total 5,674.4

Notes:

  1. 1. The data includes items dispensed for people under the age of 16 and aged between 16 and 19 and in full-time education.
  2. 2. The date are based on items and cover all prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists and appliance contractors only. Items dispensed by dispensing doctors and personal administration are excluded. Dispensing doctor prescriptions are not analysed into 1080 exempt, non-exempt or other categories and are therefore excluded; personally administered items are free of charge.
  3. 3. Drugs used in the treatment of asthma are contained in the British National Formulary sections 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3. The therapeutic classifications are based on the September 1992 issue. The drugs for Bronchodilators may be used for other conditions.

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