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Dept of Health

Answer

Mrs. Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of patients use (a) animal and (b) GM-produced human insulin; what assessment has been made of the (i) likely changes in those figures over the next 10 years and (ii) continuing availability of animal insulin; and if he will make a statement. [139904] Ms Rosie Winterton: Data on the number of people using animal and genetically modified produced human insulins are not collected and there has been no assessment or forecast made of the numbers of people likely to be using these insulins in the future. The table shows the number of prescription items that were dispensed in the community in England, and their cost, in the 12 months ended June 2003. Number of prescription items and net ingredient cost of insulins that were dispensed in the community in England for the 12 months ending June 2003 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Number of prescription items (thousand) Net ingredient cost (£000) Highly purified animal insulin 128.1 4,217.2 Human sequence (GM insulin) 3,522.0 150,528.8 All insulins 3,650.0 154,746.0 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Notes: 1. The data is from the Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) system which covers all prescription items that are dispensed in the community in England. This does not include drugs dispensed in hospitals or private prescriptions. 2. Insulins are those defined in the British National Formulary (BNF) paragraph 6.1.1, "Insulins". Insulin drugs have been grouped into highly purified animal and human sequence (GM) insulin in line with the British National Formulary (BNF). 3. Doctors write prescriptions on a prescription form. Each single item written on the form is counted as a prescription item. The net ingredient cost refers to the cost (which the dispenser is reimbursed) of the drug before discounts and does not include any dispensing costs or fees.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

139904; 413 c1390W;413 c1386W

Session

2002-03

Subjects

Access Animal products Diabetes Drugs Medical treatments Prescription drugs Insulin

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk