The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 275 No 7366 p309
10 September 2005

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· Homoeopathy (5)
· Pharmacy practice
· Reciprocity
· NICE
· Retention fees
· Sexual health
· Media representation (3)
· Emergency supplies
· The Society

Letters to the Editor

NICE

Will not and cannot end postcode prescribing

From Mr B. T. Brown, MRPharmS

The headline to my letter “Ending postcode prescribing a bad idea” (PJ, 3 September, p282) is the sole property of the PJ. The import of my letter was that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) will not and cannot end “postcode prescribing”. Both central planners and the media must debunk the idea that NICE will bring an end to the concept and inflate consumer expectation in the process.

Paradoxically, much lobbying that led to the establishment of NICE was supported directly or indirectly by “big pharma”. Understandably the industry does like local formulary decisions that side-line drugs accepted by others. Because there is this form of market in place there is scope for the use of a wide range of drugs and competition that underpins research and development.

If NICE develops a de facto national formulary, “big pharma” may become very selective in its product development. Cutting edge research would be impeded. The flow of new treatments may slow significantly and potential treatments may be denied to patients. The end of “postcode prescribing” sought by “big pharma” may be counter-productive and not actually what it wants.

NICE is probably here to stay but my concern is that we, as health care professionals, risk ascribing unachievable aims to it. What is imperative is that we do not inflate consumer expectation by pretending that NICE is what it clearly is not and will deliver what it cannot.

Etymologists may enjoy the Oxford English Dictionary root of the word “nice”. Its use as an acronym here just may be inappropriate.

Bruce T. Brown
Birmingham

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