The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7254 p850
21 June 2003

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Social Market Foundation (www.smf.co.uk)

Call for overhaul of prescription charges

A radical overhaul of health charges has been called for by a health commission of the Social Market Foundation.

It says that prescription charge exemption should only be available to children and to others on grounds of low income. Charges for those who pay should be related to the efficacy of what is prescribed, with life-saving medicines and treatments for chronic conditions being free. There should also be an annual ceiling of £90 for those who pay. The commission also wants free dental checks for everyone, with preventative and essential treatments also being free. All other dental services should only be available privately.

Everybody should also have access to regular free sight tests and there should be an Office of Fair Trading examination of the spectacle market, the commission adds.

Feature, p856