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Roaccutane

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the possible side effects of the anti-acne drug Roaccutane. [59413]

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Mr. Lammy [holding answer 24 May 2002]: Roaccutane (isotretinoin) is licensed for the treatment of severe forms of acne. It has been associated with a number of serious side effects since evaluation of the clinical trial data at the time of licensing in 1982. These include dryness of the skin, eyes and mucous membranes, visual disturbances, liver disorders and increases in cholesterol levels.

The safety of all medicines on the UK market is continuously monitored by the medicines control agency. The product information includes the summary of product characteristics for prescribers and the patient information leaflet included in each pack of the medicine. These are also kept under continuous review to make sure that they provide the most up to date and relevant information to healthcare professionals and the public regarding the safe use of the medicine.

One of the key previous amendments to the product information was the strengthening of the warning relating to depression and other psychiatric reactions including suicide, which was approved in March 1998. The Committee on Safety of Medicines considered the issue of the Roaccutane and psychiatric reactions in September 2001 and advised that the existing wording adequately reflected the current level of knowledge with regard to these reactions.

Ritalin

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received regarding inappropriate use of the prescription of Ritalin for children. [60090]

Jacqui Smith: We have no record of recent representations on this subject. Methylphenidate (principal brand name Ritalin) is a controlled drug under Schedule 2 of the Misuse of Drugs Act and is licensed for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children aged six years or older. Treatment should be under the supervision of a specialist in childhood behavioural disorders.

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescriptions of Ritalin were issued in each of the last five years for (a) attention deficit disorder and (b) attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in each (i) region and (ii) health authority. [60088]

Jacqui Smith: This information is not collected centrally in the form, or for the years, requested. The available data on the number of prescription items dispensed in the community (for example excluding items written and dispensed in hospitals) for methylphenidate hydrochloride by health authorities and regions for the period 1999 to 2001 are shown in the table, a copy of which has been placed in the Library. It should be noted that Ritalin, the brand name for a drug used mainly in the treatment of severe forms of childhood attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders, is the principal but not the only presentation of methylphenidate hydrochloride.

Hospital-acquired Infections

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what average time added to patient hospital-stays is from hospital-acquired infections. [59417]

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Mr. Lammy [holding answer 24 May 2002]: The data requested are not routinely collected.

Antipsychotic Medication

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescriptions were issued in 2001 for

12 Jun 2002 : Column 1328W

(a) atypical, (b) traditional and (c) all antipsychotic medication in each region and health authority for age groups (i) 0 to 15 years, (ii) 16 to 59 years and (iii) 60 years and over. [60630]

Jacqui Smith: The information is shown in the table.

Estimated number of prescription items (thousand) dispensed in the community in England for atypical, traditional and all antipsychotics by broad age group by health authorities and regions, 2001

Atypical Antipsychotics
Aged 16 to 59 years
Health authority in which dispensedChildren aged 0–15 yearsElderly people aged 60 and overExemptCharged(20)Total
Eastern region
Bedfordshire0.19.77.42.019.2
East and North Hertfordshire0.412.59.12.824.8
Hertfordshire0.317.214.34.836.6
Norfolk0.210.113.92.726.8
North Essex0.213.913.33.330.7
South Essex0.312.48.72.023.5
Suffolk0.212.56.22.020.9
Total for eastern region1.888.373.019.6182.6
London region
Barking and Havering0.06.55.41.713.6
Barnet, Enfield and Haringey0.017.516.53.237.3
Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich0.111.58.32.122.0
Brent and Harrow0.05.810.81.818.5
Camden and Islington0.03.711.11.316.1
Croydon0.06.77.71.415.8
Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow0.09.113.52.124.7
East London and The City0.16.917.51.526.0
Hillingdon0.01.83.21.16.1
Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster0.05.49.01.616.1
Kingston and Richmond0.17.24.61.913.9
Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham0.213.017.62.032.8
Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth0.110.912.42.826.1
Redbridge and Waltham Forest0.27.88.51.518.1
Total for London region1.1114.0145.926.0287.0
North West region
Bury and Rochdale0.06.48.41.316.1
East Lancashire0.29.69.92.121.7
Liverpool0.112.014.81.428.3
Manchester0.19.317.41.228.0
Morecambe Bay0.18.05.51.214.8
North Cheshire0.03.84.50.79.0
North West Lancashire0.011.410.32.624.3
Salford and Trafford0.18.611.71.521.9
Sefton0.06.69.01.216.8
South Cheshire0.113.211.53.127.9
South Lancashire0.05.35.11.311.8
St. Helens and Knowsley0.07.310.01.518.8
Stockport0.16.76.51.214.5
West Pennine0.17.27.11.215.5
Wigan and Bolton0.014.79.91.926.5
Wirral0.18.410.41.720.6
Total for North West region1.0138.6151.925.1316.7
Northern and Yorkshire region
Bradford0.09.78.61.219.6
Calderdale and Kirklees0.211.311.72.225.5
County Durham and Darlington0.19.210.01.821.1
East Riding and Hull0.08.411.02.121.5
Gateshead and South Tyneside0.27.25.41.013.7
Leeds0.116.217.12.936.2
Newcastle and North Tyneside0.317.315.21.834.6
North Cumbria0.16.75.51.714.1
North Yorkshire0.210.77.32.220.4
Northumberland0.24.85.61.111.7
Sunderland0.14.65.60.711.0
Tees0.17.610.21.519.4
Wakefield0.08.36.21.115.6
Total for Northern and Yorkshire region1.7122.1119.221.4264.4
South East region
Berkshire0.111.210.43.625.3
Buckinghamshire0.110.29.02.221.5
East Kent0.410.812.12.325.7
East Surrey0.04.54.31.910.7
East Sussex, Brighton and Hove0.316.314.53.134.1
Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and South East Hampshire0.115.110.42.928.5
North and Mid Hampshire0.311.07.23.021.5
Northamptonshire0.46.08.02.717.1
Oxfordshire0.212.37.53.423.4
Southampton and South West Hampshire0.213.010.62.926.8
West Kent0.316.113.84.034.1
West Surrey 0.39.56.93.019.7
West Sussex0.211.210.93.325.6
Total for South East region3.0147.2125.638.4314.2
South West region
Avon0.115.816.03.335.2
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly0.45.37.71.214.7
Dorset0.19.39.83.022.2
Gloucestershire0.16.06.42.014.6
North and East Devon0.57.99.51.919.8
Somerset0.48.45.61.215.6
South and West Devon0.511.114.52.128.2
Wiltshire0.212.48.62.423.6
Total for South West region2.476.278.117.2173.9
Trent region
Barnsley0.02.73.10.96.7
Doncaster0.12.63.40.66.8
Leicestershire0.110.913.02.526.5
Lincolnshire0.69.46.92.018.9
North Derbyshire0.13.44.81.09.2
North Nottinghamshire0.04.83.00.98.7
Nottingham0.02.92.10.75.7
Rotherham0.07.74.00.612.4
Sheffield0.14.46.61.012.0
South Humber0.23.54.60.89.2
Southern Derbyshire0.14.65.41.511.6
Total for Trent region1.356.957.012.4127.6
West Midlands region
Birmingham0.816.320.72.640.4
Coventry0.18.78.71.519.0
Dudley0.22.03.70.96.8
Herefordshire0.00.92.00.43.3
North Staffordshire0.17.25.21.514.0
Sandwell0.12.33.80.76.9
Shropshire0.26.74.51.412.8
Solihull0.12.82.60.66.1
South Staffordshire0.39.74.91.816.8
Walsall0.14.73.50.68.8
Warwickshire0.210.17.42.019.6
Wolverhampton0.03.23.80.47.5
Worcestershire0.46.75.01.413.5
Total for West Midlands region2.681.375.915.8175.5
England14.8824.6826.7175.91,841.9

12 Jun 2002 : Column 1329W

Traditional antipsychotics
Aged 16 to 59 years
Health authority in which dispensedChildren aged 0–15 yearsElderly people aged 60 and overExemptCharged(20)Items personally administeredTotal
Eastern region
Bedfordshire0.110.89.12.60.122.7
East and North Hertfordshire0.117.014.34.90.236.5
Hertfordshire0.220.713.95.60.140.4
Norfolk0.228.833.57.30.470.2
North Essex0.322.717.04.30.144.5
South Essex0.211.713.63.00.028.5
Suffolk0.220.014.74.30.339.5
Total for eastern region1.3131.7116.232.01.3282.4
London region
Barking and Havering0.27.86.01.90.015.9
Barnet, Enfield and Haringey0.114.918.03.40.036.4
Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich0.113.610.93.20.027.9
Brent and Harrow0.07.48.71.90.018.1
Camden and Islington0.05.214.11.40.020.7
Croydon0.06.48.21.30.015.9
Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow0.111.917.13.50.032.6
East London and The City0.17.818.81.90.028.6
Hillingdon0.14.43.60.90.08.9
Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster0.03.56.81.10.011.4
Kingston and Richmond0.05.74.41.50.011.6
Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham0.013.416.42.00.031.9
Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth0.112.611.02.50.026.2
Redbridge and Waltham Forest0.07.18.61.50.017.2
Total for London region1.0121.7152.528.10.0303.3
North West region
Bury and Rochdale0.014.716.23.60.034.6
East Lancashire0.115.520.43.30.039.4
Liverpool0.112.021.82.00.035.9
Manchester0.114.826.12.00.043.1
Morecambe Bay0.013.19.72.60.125.5
North Cheshire0.110.613.52.90.027.2
North West Lancashire0.015.817.13.50.036.3
Salford and Trafford0.123.119.33.00.045.6
Sefton0.011.112.62.00.025.7
South Cheshire0.118.815.23.60.037.8
South Lancashire0.17.05.32.20.014.7
St. Helens and Knowsley0.111.014.92.30.028.3
Stockport0.017.113.43.40.034.0
West Pennine0.012.915.82.40.031.2
Wigan and Bolton0.116.015.43.20.034.8
Wirral0.08.415.22.20.025.9
Total for North West region1.2222.0252.244.30.2519.9
2
Northern and Yorkshire region
Bradford0.012.816.12.80.031.8
Calderdale and Kirklees0.116.812.43.10.032.3
County Durham and Darlington0.222.119.13.50.145.1
East Riding and Hull0.118.514.63.10.136.4
Gateshead and South Tyneside0.110.710.91.90.023.7
Leeds0.119.423.95.10.048.6
Newcastle and North Tyneside0.011.515.82.40.029.8
North Cumbria0.17.98.72.10.118.9
North Yorkshire0.321.314.34.70.240.8
Northumberland0.08.17.31.60.117.1
Sunderland0.16.45.41.10.012.9
Tees0.218.417.52.30.038.4
Wakefield0.08.99.52.30.020.7
Total for Northern and Yorkshire region1.5182.7175.536.10.6396.5
South East region
Berkshire0.114.913.44.20.132.6
Buckinghamshire0.212.510.43.90.127.2
East Kent0.214.914.92.70.132.8
East Surrey0.011.86.21.70.019.8
East Sussex, Brighton and Hove0.121.623.24.10.149.1
Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and South East Hampshire0.120.215.83.80.139.9
North and Mid Hampshire0.311.28.53.50.123.6
Northamptonshire0.214.413.63.70.031.9
Oxfordshire0.19.88.23.10.221.4
Southampton and South West Hampshire0.214.012.24.10.130.5
West Kent0.218.019.75.50.143.4
West Surrey 0.112.59.63.60.025.8
West Sussex0.128.813.54.50.147.0
Total for South East region1.8204.6169.248.50.9425.0
South West region
Avon0.226.825.45.10.157.5
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly0.115.516.02.90.234.7
Dorset0.223.814.73.30.142.2
Gloucestershire0.314.013.94.70.133.1
North and East Devon0.114.811.93.10.230.0
Somerset0.111.09.62.10.122.9
South and West Devon0.119.621.73.10.244.7
Wiltshire0.114.211.74.00.130.1
Total for South West region1.1139.7124.928.31.1295.2
Trent region
Barnsley0.17.65.11.60.014.4
Doncaster0.19.59.12.10.020.7
Leicestershire0.121.222.24.80.148.3
Lincolnshire0.123.016.55.80.245.6
North Derbyshire0.114.310.52.10.027.0
North Nottinghamshire0.113.58.52.10.124.3
Nottingham0.119.215.24.30.138.8
Rotherham0.115.67.51.10.024.4
Sheffield0.216.215.03.20.034.6
South Humber0.110.79.62.40.022.9
Southern Derbyshire0.119.512.83.40.035.9
Total for Trent region1.1170.3131.933.00.5336.9
West Midlands region
Birmingham0.624.534.74.10.063.9
Coventry0.15.68.01.70.015.4
Dudley0.011.28.82.60.022.6
Herefordshire0.25.34.41.00.110.9
North Staffordshire0.115.311.73.50.030.5
Sandwell0.19.58.01.70.019.2
Shropshire0.111.710.52.50.124.8
Solihull0.13.53.51.20.08.2
South Staffordshire0.115.911.13.00.130.1
Walsall0.09.98.11.70.019.6
Warwickshire0.012.19.43.50.125.1
Wolverhampton0.18.47.01.10.016.5
Worcestershire0.317.19.92.30.129.8
Total for West Midlands region1.7149.9134.929.90.4316.8
England10.81,322.71,257.2280.25.12,876.0

12 Jun 2002 : Column 1333W

All antipsychotics
Aged 16 to 59 years
Health authority in which dispensedChildren aged 0–15 yearsElderly people aged 60 and overExemptCharged(20)Items personally administeredTotal
Eastern region
Bedfordshire0.320.516.64.60.142.0
East and North Hertfordshire0.529.523.57.60.261.3
Hertfordshire0.537.828.210.40.177.0
Norfolk0.438.947.49.90.497.1
North Essex0.536.530.37.70.175.2
South Essex0.524.122.35.10.052.0
Suffolk0.432.620.96.30.360.4
Total for eastern region3.0219.9189.251.51.3464.9
London region
Barking and Havering0.214.311.53.50.029.5
Barnet, Enfield and Haringey0.232.434.56.60.073.6
Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich0.225.119.25.30.049.8
Brent and Harrow0.013.319.53.80.036.6
Camden and Islington0.18.925.12.70.036.8
Croydon0.013.115.82.80.031.7
Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow0.221.030.65.60.057.3
East London and The City0.214.736.23.40.054.6
Hillingdon0.16.26.82.00.015.1
Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster0.08.915.82.70.027.5
Kingston and Richmond0.112.99.13.40.025.5
Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham0.326.434.04.00.064.6
Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth0.223.523.35.30.052.3
Redbridge and Waltham Forest0.314.917.13.00.035.3
Total for London region2.1235.6298.454.10.0590.3
North West region
Bury and Rochdale0.121.224.64.90.050.7
East Lancashire0.325.130.35.40.061.1
Liverpool0.224.036.63.40.064.2
Manchester0.224.143.63.20.071.1
Morecambe Bay0.121.115.33.80.140.3
North Cheshire0.114.418.03.60.036.2
North West Lancashire0.027.227.36.00.060.7
Salford and Trafford0.231.731.04.50.067.5
Sefton0.017.721.63.20.042.5
South Cheshire0.232.026.76.70.065.6
South Lancashire0.212.310.53.50.026.5
St. Helens and Knowsley0.118.324.93.80.047.1
Stockport0.123.819.94.60.048.5
West Pennine0.120.122.93.60.046.7
Wigan and Bolton0.130.725.35.10.061.3
Wirral0.116.825.63.90.046.5
Total for North West region2.2360.7404.169.40.2836.6
Northern and Yorkshire region
Bradford0.122.524.74.10.051.4
Calderdale and Kirklees0.328.124.05.30.057.8
County Durham and Darlington0.331.329.15.40.166.2
East Riding and Hull0.126.925.65.30.157.9
Gateshead and South Tyneside0.317.916.32.90.037.4
Leeds0.335.641.08.00.084.8
Newcastle and North Tyneside0.328.831.04.20.064.4
North Cumbria0.214.614.23.80.133.0
North Yorkshire0.532.021.56.90.261.2
Northumberland0.212.912.92.70.128.8
Sunderland0.111.011.01.80.024.0
Tees0.326.027.83.80.057.8
Wakefield0.117.215.73.40.036.6
Total for Northern and Yorkshire region3.2304.8294.857.50.6660.9
South East region
Berkshire0.226.123.87.80.158.0
Buckinghamshire0.322.719.46.20.148.7
East Kent0.725.727.05.10.158.5
East Surrey0.016.310.53.70.030.4
East Sussex, Brighton and Hove0.437.937.77.20.183.2
Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and South East Hampshire0.135.326.26.70.188.4
North and Mid Hampshire0.622.215.76.50.145.1
Northamptonshire0.520.521.66.40.049.0
Oxfordshire0.322.015.86.50.244.8
Southampton and South West Hampshire0.427.022.87.00.157.3
West Kent0.534.033.49.50.177.6
West Surrey 0.422.016.46.60.045.5
West Sussex0.340.024.57.80.172.5
Total for South East region4.8351.8294.886.90.9739.2
South West region
Avon0.342.541.48.40.192.7
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly0.520.823.74.10.249.4
Dorset0.333.124.56.40.164.5
Gloucestershire0.420.120.46.80.147.8
North and East Devon0.622.721.44.90.249.8
Somerset0.419.415.23.30.138.5
South and West Devon0.730.836.25.20.273.0
Wiltshire0.326.620.36.40.153.7
Total for South West region3.5215.9203.145.61.1489.2
Trent region
Barnsley0.110.38.22.60.021.1
Doncaster0.212.212.52.70.027.6
Leicestershire0.232.135.27.30.174.8
Lincolnshire0.732.423.47.80.264.5
North Derbyshire0.117.715.23.10.036.2
North Nottinghamshire0.118.311.53.00.132.9
Nottingham0.122.117.35.00.144.6
Rotherham0.123.311.51.80.036.7
Sheffield0.320.621.54.20.046.6
South Humber0.314.214.23.20.032.0
Southern Derbyshire0.324.118.24.90.047.5
Total for Trent region2.4227.2188.845.50.5464.5
West Midlands region
Birmingham1.440.855.36.70.0104.3
Coventry0.214.316.73.20.034.4
Dudley0.213.212.53.50.029.4
Herefordshire0.26.26.41.40.114.2
North Staffordshire0.222.416.95.00.044.6
Sandwell0.211.711.82.40.026.1
Shropshire0.318.415.03.90.137.6
Solihull0.26.36.11.80.014.3
South Staffordshire0.425.616.04.80.146.9
Walsall0.114.611.62.20.028.4
Warwickshire0.322.216.85.40.144.7
Wolverhampton0.111.610.81.60.024.0
Worcestershire0.623.814.93.70.143.2
Total for West Midlands region4.3231.2210.845.60.4492.3
England25.62,147.22,083.9456.25.14,717.9

(20) Charged prescription items include those where a charge was made at the point of dispensing and where a patient has a pre-payment certificate.

Notes:

1. The analysis of the data for non-charged categories is based on a 1 in 20 sample of all exempt prescriptions submitted to the Prescription Pricing Authority by community pharmacists, appliance contractors, and dispensing doctors. Personally administered items are free of charge.

2. Antipsychotics are defined in the British National Formulary (BNF) paragraph 4.2.1, antipsychotic drugs. Atypical antipsychotics cover the drugs Amisulpride, Clozapine, Olanzapine, Quetiapine, Risperidone and Zotepine contained within BNF 4.2.1.


12 Jun 2002 : Column 1337W


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