From M. G. J. Cooper, MRPharmS
SIR,—The fluctuating supply and prices for patient packs of generic drugs, especially bendrofluazide 2.5mg, is inexcusable.
The changeover has been badly handled by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry and also the Government.
The most logical way would have been for the Government and all the generics manufacturers to have drawn up a list for the changeover from bulk to patient packs for a set number of drugs every month and, once adequate reserve stocks had been built up, go on to extend the list. Once the patient packs were readily available the Government should have introduced legislation to make it compulsory for doctors to prescribe by pack size only. This should also have applied to all "ethical" packs, which should be changed to the 28 multiple.
M. G. J. Cooper
Cambridge