CONSUMPTION OF DRUGS
BIG INCREASE IN N.Z. AUTHORITIES REPORTED WORRiEB Pre* Afi»ociati<m—By Telegraph-rOopjritli MELBOURNE, April 23. " The consumption of drugs ha« jumped so notably under New, Zeanational health scheme that both the Government and the medical authorities are worried about itj" says Mr Douglas Brass, writing' in the ' Melbourne Herald.' He quotes * hospital superintendent as telling him: " The people are taking all sorts of hogwash. It is a great day for the chemist and the patent medicine man." .
Mr Brass says that while it was originally estimated that 6s a head of the population would cover the health schemes and pharmaceutical benefits, the figure this year will be near 12s per head. The Minister of Health believes a few doctors are piling on the cost in an effort to sabotage the plans, but that most are prescribing more expensive drugs because they know the patient does not have to pay.. Mr Brass lists three influences at work in sending up. New: Zealand'* national medicine bill. They ; are, first, people like taking medicinet when they do not cost - anything; secondly, doctors like prescribing them when they do not cost anything; thirdly, war _ worries lead to the taking of sedatives.
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Bibliographic details
Evening Star, Issue 25470, 28 April 1945, Page 6
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198CONSUMPTION OF DRUGS Evening Star, Issue 25470, 28 April 1945, Page 6
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