Prescription charges

Press, 24 February 1977, Page 16

Prescription charges

Sir, — L. E. Reid has my full sympathy. His is clearly a case of the needy being unable to help themselves. (Incidentally. I wrote “learn to help themselves.” but “keep” was incorrectly

printed for “help,” which distorted my meaning. No doubt my writing was at fault). Admittedly, one cannot divorce morals from economics, but I would submit to G. C. Suggate that it would be both impractical and naive to expect any Government to meet all the financial demands made upon it, for the simple economic reason that one cannot take a quart of liquid from a pint bottle. I certainly do not belong to the “affluent society,” and if the cost of syringes, etc were taken from my taxes the remainder would not amount to a grain of sand along Pegasus Bay. Diabetics, whether “needy” or “able.” must contribute towards their own treatment —why should not others? — Yours, etc., M. P. ROBINSON. February 23, 1977.

Sir, —Prescription charges are in effect an indirect tax — a particularly obnoxious tax since it is imposed upon the sick. That is why in my first letter I proposed alternative indirect taxes which would have spread the burden of sickness more fairly. As for M. P. Robinson’s confusion of economic problems and moral ones, if she has a conflict, as she appears to concede, there is something wrong with her economics.— Yours, etc.,

BRIAN EASTON

February 22, 1977. [This correspondence is now closed.—Editor.]