> From: [log in to unmask]
> Is there any knowledge about the process whereby Health Authorities make
> decisions to prescribe new/complex/expensive drugs? Is this done by a
> prescribing Committee and if so who sits on this committee?This is with regard
> to decisions about prescribing drugs both in general practice and in
> hospitals.
> thanks
> Jenny
>
Ask your HA and /or LMC who sits on the Prescribing/Therapeutics
Committee or whatever it is called locally. Ask for copies of the
meetings minutes.
In Rotherham there is an HA run committee (which I
sit on), and the two trusts have their committees. Representatives
from these committees sit on the HA one, along with the HA
prescribing adviser, GP adviser, Director of Public Health, another
Public Health Consultant, HA Assistant director and two GPs.
We have spent a lot of time considering red/yellow/green 'alert'
system for prescribing drugs i.e. red hospital only, amber - agreed
shared-care protocols and green - free for all!
We have also considered new drugs e.g. aricept which is effectively
'banned', but still gets prescribed in small quantities by some GPs
after moral/emotional black mail from consultants and patients.
There are dozens of new drugs in the pipe-line. All horrendously
expensive, with limited efficacy data and limited applications.
It's all a nightmare:-(
Dr David J Plews
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