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Peak flow meters
Position clarified
From Mr B. Garbe
Your News item (PJ, 19 June, p757) about the adoption of the EN 13826
standard peak flow meters to replace the Wright scale peak flow meters
currently in the Drug Tariff makes for confusing reading. I would like
to put this straight. The position is simple:
· After 1 September, peak flow meters conforming to the EN 13826 standard
must be dispensed
· Until 1 September, the existing Wright scale meters must be dispensed
· Wright scale meters will be discontinued after this date
The article said “it is not clear whether Wright meters will continue
to be reimbursable on NHS prescription after 1 September”.
This is incorrect. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency
device alert document MDA/2004/025 does not leave this ambiguous. Wright
scale peak flow meters will not be reimbursable after 1 September.
I have been in discussion and correspondence with both the MHRA and the
Prescription Pricing Authority on this subject for many months, and we
have been involved for years on the new standard itself.
Vitalograph makes several models of peak flow meter; all conform to the
standard EN 13826:2003 unless labelled otherwise. Wright scale devices
are labelled “Drug Tariff Specification 51”. Wright scale
peak flow meters do not conform to EN 13826.
There will be one exception to the EN 13826 rule after the 1 September.
The Drug Tariff will have listed a “low range” peak flow
meter which conforms to EN 13826 in every respect except its range of
measurement, the scale stopping at 400L/min instead of 800L/min as required
by EN 13826. The device will be labelled to this effect and will not
be labelled “EN 13826”.
I do hope this clarifies the position.
Bernard Garbe
Managing Director
Vitalograph Ltd
It is the Wright scale that is being replaced by the EN 13826 scale
From Mr J. Bell
I write to express our concerns over the forthcoming
change in peak flow meter standard on September 1 (PJ, 19 June, p757).
First, Clement Clarke International Ltd would like to reassure pharmacists
that the Mini-Wright brand of peak flow meter will continue to be made
available; it is the Wright scale that is being replaced by the EN 13826
scale, and CE compliant Mini-Wrights will be available for reimbursement
on September 1.
Secondly, you correctly reported that neither the Medicines and Healthcare
products Regulatory Agency nor the Prescription Pricing Authority has made
recommendations on how to manage the change, leaving pharmacists and their
wholesalers with numerous questions, and few answers.
The announcement in the Drug Tariff that existing Wright-scale meters would
no longer be reimbursed after 1 September has alerted pharmacists to the
need to reduce stock to zero by the changeover date. Wholesalers are faced
with a larger problem — even a small inventory of, say, 5,000 Wright-scale
meters on 31 August will result in a loss of up to £30,000 through
stock write-off, unless the manufacturers are willing to take the stock
back. And with the whole of Europe changing to the new scale, where are
we supposed to sell these Wright-scale meters?
Unless the MHRA, PPA and the Department of Health address all the issues
together, Wright-scale peak flow meters will become more and more scarce
as the summer goes on.
This situation never needed to arise. Both the MHRA and the PPA were furnished
with detailed information about supply chain issues, from manufacturers
and wholesalers, with additional comment from relevant professionals involved
in asthma care. While the MHRA sought to define the issues and groups who
would be affected, the PPA has remained sceptical of any likely supply
problems, and has failed to recognise the issues affecting both pharmacists
and manufacturers.
Ideally, the authorities should announce a period during which both types
of meter will be reimbursed. This will ensure no patient faces a delay
in their prescription being filled, and pharmacists and manufacturers can
minimise risk of losing hard-earned profit. Since patient safety is not
at risk, why can the MHRA, PPA and the DoH not act to accommodate our concerns?
It will soon be too late for the PPA to react, so pharmacists and wholesalers
with concerns can gain up-to-date information at www.peakflow.com, or by
calling Clement Clarke direct on 01279 414969. The website also carries
information on how to convert from one scale to the other — the large
number of Wright-scale meters already in common use will ensure the need
to convert readings for several years to come.
Jon Bell
Business Development Manager — Inspiratory
Clement Clarke International Ltd |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal