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Illegal Drugs
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research he has evaluated into the increased risks resulting from ingesting (a) Ecstasy, (b) LSD and (c) other illegal substances while taking (i) tricyclic antidepressants, (ii) monoamine oxidase inhibitors and (iii) rifampicin; and if he will make a statement. [11017]
Ms Jowell:
The Department of Health has not evaluated any research into increased risks from the ingestion of the combinations of substances specified. Should there be any emerging evidence of increased risk, we would of course consider the need to do so.
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Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has undertaken into the number of people who have used illegal drugs in each 10-year age band; and if he will make a statement. [11018]
Ms Jowell:
As part of the health education monitoring survey 1996, the Health Education Authority included
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items about drug misuse. This survey involved interviewing 4,645 people aged 16 to 74 living in England; only those aged 16 to 54 were asked to complete the part of the survey concerning drug misuse. Published data show the following prevalence of drug misuse reported in the survey and are reproduced in the table:
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| Percentage ever used an illegal drug | Percentage used a drug in the last 12 months | Percentage used a drug in the last month | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female |
| 16 to 19 | 42 | 47 | 36 | 41 | 27 | 24 |
| 20 to 24 | 70 | 46 | 46 | 26 | 35 | 17 |
| 25 to 29 | 50 | 32 | 23 | 11 | 12 | 7 |
| 30 to 34 | 39 | 26 | 13 | 8 | 9 | 4 |
| 35 to 39 | 34 | 26 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 3 |
| 40 to 44 | 36 | 16 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 2 |
| 45 to 54 | 18 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Total (16 to 54) | 38 | 26 | 17 | 11 | 12 | 6 |
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Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what discussions he has held with the pharmaceutical companies about the need to warn prescribed drug users of potentially fatal interactions between certain products and illegal drugs; [11011]
- (2) What assessment he has made of the effect of ritonavir and other drugs used in the treatment of AIDS on the toxicity of methylenedioxymethamphetamine; and if he will make a statement; [11020]
(3) what plans he has to meet representatives of the medical profession to discuss the benefits of compulsory written and oral warnings for prescribed drug users of potentially fatal interactions between certain products and illegal drugs; [11019]
(4) if he will introduce measures to make it a legal requirement for pharmaceutical companies to notify officials about potentially lethal interactions between medicinal and illegal drugs; and if he will make a statement; [11010]
(5) what was his Department's expenditure on research into the possible risks of interaction between prescribed and illegal drugs in each of the last five years. [11014]
Mr. Milburn: The United Kingdom Medicines Control Agency is aware of anecdotal reports of possible interactions between ritonavir and illegal drugs, notably methylenedioxymethamphetamine--Ecstasy. Ritonavir is a centrally authorised product and so these reports will be drawn to the attention of the Committee for Proprietary Medicinal Products which advises the European Commission, the licensing authority for these medicines.
The MCA continuously monitors the safety of all medicines marketed in the UK. This includes monitoring for potential interactions between medicines and between medicines and other substances. Pharmaceutical companies also have a statutory responsibility for the safety of the medicines they market and to provide information on safety, quality and efficacy to the licensing authority.
It is the responsibility of doctors to give advice to their patients about medicines they prescribe. Patients should receive sufficient information, in a way that they can
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understand, about their treatment, the possible alternatives and any substantial risks such that a patient can make an informed decision about treatment. A doctor has to exercise his or her professional judgment in deciding what information the patient should receive.
The Department's policy research programme and the national health service research and development programme are not currently undertaking any research into the possible risks of interaction between prescribed and illegal drugs.
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what percentage of (a) the general population and (b) asthma sufferers using corticosteroid inhalers develop cataracts; and if he will make a statement; [11009]
Mr Milburn:
The Medicines Control Agency is aware of the recently published survey from Australia in The New England Journal of Medicine suggesting that cataracts may be more common among adults using inhaled corticosteroids. The scientific evidence is currently being assessed.
Cataract is a progressive disease and it is difficult to assess its incidence. However, it is primarily a disease in older people and incidence increases with age.
Mr. Gibb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists offered NHS treatment in each year since 1979. [10902]
Mr. Milburn:
The table sets out the number of dentists on a family health services authority/health authority list at 30 September 1979 to 30 September 1996.
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(2) what assessment he has made of the possible link between the use of corticosteroids in asthma inhalers and the development of cataracts. [11008]
| Date | Number of dentists |
|---|---|
| 1979 | 12,146 |
| 1980 | 12,415 |
| 1981 | 12,835 |
| 1982 | 13,258 |
| 1983 | 13,672 |
| 1984 | 14,066 |
| 1985 | 14,334 |
| 1986 | 14,516 |
| 1987 | 14,765 |
| 1988 | 15.070 |
| 1989 | 15,351 |
| 1990 | 15,480 |
| 1991 | 15,451 |
| 1992 | 15,411 |
| 1993 | 15,773 |
| 1994 | 15,885 |
| 1995 | 15,951 |
| 1996 | 16,366 |
1. Figures include principals on a FHSA/HA list and their assistants and vocational trainees.
2. Some dentists have a contract with more than one family health services authority/health authority. These dentists are counted only once.
3 Figures exclude salaried, hospital or community dentists.
Liver and Heart Transplants
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) liver and (b) heart transplants were carried out by the NHS in each year since 1979. [10908]
Mr. Boateng: The table shows the number of transplants performed in the NHS each year from and including 1979, excluding transplant operations performed privately in NHS hospitals.
| Year | Livers | Hearts |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 7 | -- |
| 1980 | 7 | -- |
| 1981 | 12 | 1 |
| 1982 | 15 | -- |
| 1983 | 9 | 1 |
| 1984 | 32 | 3 |
| 1985 | 55 | 89 |
| 1986 | 117 | 175 |
| 1987 | 153 | 213 |
| 1988 | 214 | 246 |
| 1989 | 274 | 262 |
| 1990 | 332 | 287 |
| 1991 | 373 | 250 |
| 1992 | 465 | 303 |
| 1993 | 521 | 290 |
| 1994 | 592 | 302 |
| 1995 | 643 | 307 |
| 1996 | 606 | 268 |
Source:
United Kingdom Transplant Support Service Authority (UKTSSA).
Health Spending
Mr. Gibb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of gross domestic product NHS spending represented in each year since 1979. [10898]
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Mr. Milburn:
The information requested is set out in the table.
| Year | UK NHS expenditure as a percentage of GDP |
|---|---|
| 1978-79 | 4.7 |
| 1979-80 | 4.7 |
| 1980-81 | 5.3 |
| 1981-82 | 5.5 |
| 1982-83 | 5.5 |
| 1983-84 | 5.3 |
| 1984-85 | 5.4 |
| 1985-86 | 5.2 |
| 1986-87 | 5.1 |
| 1987-88 | 5.1 |
| 1988-89 | 5.1 |
| 1989-90 | 5.1 |
| 1990-91 | 5.2 |
| 1991-92 | 5.7 |
| 1992-93 | 6.0 |
| 1993-94 | 5.9 |
| 1994-95 | 5.8 |
| 1995-96 | 5.8 |
| 1996-97 | 5.7 |
| 1997-98 | 5.5 |
Gross domestic product adjusted to remove the distortion caused by the abolition of domestic rates.
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list (a) the total amount of NHS spending, in cash and real terms, in each year since 1979 and (b) the real terms percentage change in NHS spending since 1979. [10899]
Mr. Milburn: The information requested is set out in the table.
| Year | Cash £ million | Real terms (1996-97 prices) £ million | Percentage real growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978-79 | 6,525 | 20,067 | 3.2 |
| 1979-80 | 7,755 | 20,435 | 1.8 |
| 1980-91 | 10,103 | 22,500 | 10.1 |
| 1981-82 | 11,329 | 23,005 | 2.2 |
| 1982-83 | 12,353 | 23,417 | 1.8 |
| 1983-84 | 13,114 | 23,757 | 1.5 |
| 1984-85 | 14,102 | 24,325 | 2.4 |
| 1985-86 | 14,911 | 24,384 | 0.2 |
| 1986-87 | 16,034 | 25,452 | 4.4 |
| 1987-88 | 17,642 | 26,589 | 4.5 |
| 1988-89 | 19,616 | 27,710 | 4.2 |
| 1989-90 | 21,132 | 27,903 | 0.7 |
| 1990-91 | 23,654 | 28,919 | 3.6 |
| 1991-92 | 26,786 | 30,783 | 6.4 |
| 1992-93 | 29,371 | 32,394 | 5.2 |
| 1993-94 | 30,393 | 32,574 | 0.6 |
| 1994-95 | 31,973 | 33,759 | 3.6 |
| 1995-96 | 33,473 | 34,398 | 1.9 |
| 1996-97 | 34,800 | 34,800 | 1.2 |
| 1997-98 | 35,948 | 34,986 | 0.5 |
Mr. Gibb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the amount of capital expenditure in the NHS, in cash and real terms, in each year since 1979. [10901]
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Mr. Milburn:
The information requested is set out in the table.
| Year | Cash (£ million) | Real terms (1996-97 prices) (£ million) | Percentage real growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978-79 | 411 | 1,264 | 4.4 |
| 1979-80 | 462 | 1,217 | -3.7 |
| 1980-81 | 627 | 1,396 | 14.7 |
| 1981-82 | 758 | 1,539 | 10.2 |
| 1982-83 | 790 | 1,498 | -2.7 |
| 1983-84 | 827 | 1,498 | 0.0 |
| 1984-85 | 926 | 1,597 | 6.6 |
| 1985-86 | 1,013 | 1,657 | 3.7 |
| 1986-87 | 1,089 | 1,729 | 4.4 |
| 1987-88 | 1,129 | 1,702 | -1.6 |
| 1988-89 | 1,221 | 1,725 | 1.4 |
| 1989-90 | 1,454 | 1,920 | 11.3 |
| 1990-91 | 1,604 | 1,961 | 2.2 |
| 1991-92 | 1,693 | 1,946 | -0.8 |
| 1992-93 | 1,868 | 2,060 | 5.9 |
| 1993-94 | 1,807 | 1,937 | -6.0 |
| 1994-95 | 2,073 | 2,189 | 13.0 |
| 1995-96 | 2,018 | 2,074 | -5.3 |
| 1996-97 | 1,909 | 1,909 | -8.0 |
| 1997-98 | 1,621 | 1,578 | -17.3 |
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