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Written question asked by Lord Lansley (Conservative) on Friday, 29 June 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 3 July 2007. It was answered by Baroness Primarolo (Labour) on Tuesday, 10 July 2007 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Sleeping Pills

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) total number of and (b) net ingredient cost of drugs dispensed in the community for the treatment of insomnia was in each year since 1997.
Answer

Treatment for insomnia is classified in the British National Formulary (BNF) under paragraph 4.1.1. The number of prescription items dispensed in the community in England, together with the net ingredient cost (NIC), are shown in the following table.The antihistamine promethazine hydrochloride is listed by the BNF as a possible treatment for insomnia but dispensing for this drug is categorised under its use for respiratory conditions and so dispensing figures are given separately in the table. It is not possible to determine what proportion of this use, if any, is for insomnia.

Items dispensed (BNF 4.1.1) (Thousand) NIC (BNF 4.1.1) (£000) Items dispensed (Promethazine) (Thousand) NIC (Promethazine) (£000)
1997 10,570.6 21,303.4 372.2 485.3
1998 10,619.3 23,137.9 337.8 433.2
1999 10,633.6 25,637.9 284.4 433.2
2000 10,638.5 27,907.5 252.5 401.7
2001 10,697.1 26,698.4 239.4 395.1
2002 10,653.5 27,091.4 229.3 397.6
2003 10,606.1 27,402.2 214.8 373.2
2004 10,474.6 26,782.1 208.5 369.3
2005 10,016.5 23,473.7 209.6 381.5
2006 9,868.1 ¹27,144.2 215.8 418.1
¹ The increase in NIC in spite of a decrease in items between 2005 and 2006 is due to price changes to generic medicines (Category M).

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
147535; 462 c1454-5W;462 c1454W
Session
2006-07
Subjects
Sleeping pills
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk