§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what research his Department has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the effects on people with epilepsy of changes to their medication; [29309]
532W(2) what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the levels of misdiagnosis in respect of children suspected of suffering from epilepsy. [29313]
§ Mr. BowisThe Department of Health has not commissioned research in these specific areas. The Medical Research Council is the main agency through which the Government commission biomedical and clinical research, which receives its grant in aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade. The MRC is always willing to consider scientifically sound research proposals and has identified neurological conditions, which include epilepsy, as an area in which it would particularly welcome proposals.
The Department of Health's central research development committee has a standing group on health technologies. This group has identified new anti-epileptic drugs and existing therapies as a priority area for research. A call for proposals will be made in June 1996. In addition, a large MRC multi-centre study has recently been set up to compare immediate versus deferred treatment with anti-epileptic drugs.
§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the preferred medicine choices for people with epilepsy that are contained in the prodigy pilot study on computer-assisted prescribing currently being evaluated. [29311]
§ Mr. BowisI refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the Minister for Health gave my hon. Friend the Member for Macclesfield (Mr. Winterton) on 18 December 1995,Official Report, column 945.
§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many nurses specialising in the care of people with epilepsy are employed in the national health service; [29315]
(2) how many hospital consultants and paediatricians specialising in the treatment of epilepsy are employed in the national health service. [29314]
§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money was spent on medicines for the treatment of epilepsy in the last five years. [29308]
§ Mr. BowisThe table shows the information for England for the period 1991 to 1995. The data were obtained from the prescription cost analysis system, an information system administered by the Prescription Pricing Authority The figures are in terms of net ingredient cost which has increased from £26 million in 1991 to £48.5 million in 1995. The figures for 1995 are based on provisional data.
533W
Net ingredient cost of drugs prescribed for the treatment of epilepsy England Year Net ingredient cost (£ millions) 1991 26.0 1992 31.0 1993 36.3 1994 41.8 1995 48.5 1. Drugs used for the treatment of epilepsy are those preparations in the British National Formulary (issue 28 September 1994) therapeutic group 4.8—antiepileptics. Some of the drugs in this section may be used for other conditions.
2. The data are from the Prescription Cost Analysis system and cover all prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors and personal administration.
3. The net ingredient cost refers to the cost of the drug before discounts and does not include any dispensing costs or fees.
4. The figures for 1995 are based on provisional data.
§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of medicines prescribed for the treatment of epilepsy was for(a) generic preparations and (b) branded medicines in each of the last five years for which records are available. [29310]
§ Mr. BowisThe table shows the information for England for the period 1991 to 1995 obtained from the prescription cost analysis system. The figures for 1995 are based on provisional data.
Proportion of generic and branded drugs prescribed for the treatment of epilepsy England Percentage Year Generic Branded 1991 41.2 58.8 1992 43.5 56.5 1993 45.8 54.2 1994 46.7 53.3 1995 50.0 50.0 1. Drugs used for the treatment of epilepsy are those preparations in the British National Formulary (issue 28 September 1994) therapeutic group 4.8—antiepileptics. Some of the drugs in this section may be used for other conditions.
2. The data are from the prescription cost analysis system and cover all prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists an appliance contractors, dispensing doctors and personal administration.
3. Drugs prescribed generically include drugs prescribed and dispensed generically and drugs prescribed generically but dispensed as a branded drug because a generic is not available (for example the branded is still under patent).
4. The figures for 1995 are based on provisional data.
§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to issue guidance to the regional offices of the national health service executive on appropriate standards of care for people with epilepsy. [29312]
§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions his Department held with GPs and patient organisations before deciding which medicines should be included for the treatment of epilepsy in the prodigy pilot study. [29316]
Mr. BowlsWe fund several sources of information for general practitioners on drug treatments, consulting a wide range of professional and other bodies as appropriate. GPs are of course free to choose which drugs to prescribe for their patients, in the light of the information available to them.
§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice his Department has issued to doctors treating people with epilepsy regarding consistency and continuity in prescribing medicines. [29318]
534W
§ Mr. BowisWhile it is our policy to encourage generic prescribing, we expect the doctor to choose the product which, in his clinical judgment, is most appropriate for the patient's condition. The British National Formulary, issued free of charge to all doctors, recognises that bioavailability can be a problem, making it necessary that some patients remain with one brand.