‘Erosion' of drugs principle

Press, 14 May 1979, Page 24

‘Erosion' of drugs principle

PA Wellington Any suggestion that part-payment should be required for all prescription drugs is an “appalling attack on the basic concept of the Welfare State,” Labour’s spokesman on health (Mr ! J. L. Hunt) has said. The principle of free i medical prescriptions had : been considerably eroded I over the last three years I by an increase in the | number of drugs for I which patients had to pay, he said. The Government had refused to take any step to cut the cost of the drug bill by investigating alternative sources of supply, and alternative methods of pricing. Ute Labour Party had a firm commitment to the principle of free prescriptions, Mr Hunt said. It also had a commitment to investigate the cost of drugs to the Health Department, to eliminate any unfair profiteering at the public’s expense. The Labour Party would require doctors to prescribe drugs by generic names wherever they were available, and of acceptable quality. Overseas experience had showed the unnecessarily high cost of brand-name prescribing, Mr Hunt said.