01/21 05:39 FOCUS-UK's Dobson says Viagra should be on NHS
(Updates with reaction para 9-12) By Patricia Reaney
LONDON, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Britain announced proposals on
Thursday that would allow doctors to prescribe the impotence pill
Viagra through the state health service for men with specific illnesses.
Health Secretary Frank Dobson issued a public consultation
document suggesting the world's best selling drug be available on the
government-funded National Health Service (NHS) for men whose
impotence is caused by spinal cord injury, diabetes, multiple
sclerosis or removal of the prostate gland.
"These are proposals. We will carefully consider all comments
received during the six-week consultation before coming to a final
decision. We shall also keep the issue under review, once the final
policies are in place," he said in a statement.
Dobson's move ended months of speculation and confusion about
whether Pfizer's <PFE.N> magic blue pill would be available on the
NHS. But it infuriated many doctors.
Britain banned doctors from prescribing Viagra since it was licensed
in Europe in September because of fears that demand would
bankrupt the health service.
"We took this position because of our concern that Viagra would
become a serious drain on NHS funds, due to the huge amount of
attention given to the drug. Since then, we have been gathering
advice to develop today's policy proposals," Dobson said.
The government sent the consultation document, inviting comments,
to the British Medical Association (BMA) and manufacturers of drug
treatments for impotence.
"Until further arrangements are in place after the consultation, I
maintain my advice that doctors should not prescribe Viagra on the
NHS," Dobson added.
British doctors reacted angrily to the proposals, calling them a
rationing decision, and vowed to fight them.
"We are extremely distressed by the guidance that is being
proposed. We think that what he is proposing is unethical and flies in
the face of good medical evidence," Dr Judy Gilley, the vice
chairwoman of the General Practitioners Committee of the BMA, told
Reuters.
"Essentially he is dividing impotence into good impotence and bad
impotence. Good impotence is where you've got an organic condition
like prostate surgery and bad is where the cause is not so clearly
determined."
But Gilley said even if the cause is not evident, impotence is just as
distressing. The GP committee is due to discuss the proposals at a
meeting on Thursday. Dobson admitted in September, when the
European Commission approved Viagra for sale throughout the 15
European nations, that at approximately 4.80 pounds ($7.80) a pill, it
was too expensive. NHS patients would receive Viagra free or at
reduced cost.
He said the government would have to divert funds from other
essential medical services to meet the expected demand.
moneynet.com@NEWS-P2&Index=0&HeadlineURL=../News/NewsHeadlines.asp&DISABLE_FORM=&NAVSVC=News\Company
|
