The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 278 No 7457 p729
23 June 2007

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Prescription charges to go for TB drugs supplied by clinics

Drugs supplied by clinics to treat tuberculosis will be free from prescription charges from September, says the Department of Health.

The move is part of a package of measures to help control the spread of TB in England and follows the launch of a “TB action plan” in 2004. This week, the DoH published a “TB toolkit”, which sets out examples of good practice for delivering TB services and provides guidance on commissioning, laboratory services and surveillance.

England’s chief medical officer Sir Liam Donaldson said: “Among the key recommendations in the action plan was the need to ensure well-organised and co-ordinated patient services.

“The toolkit . . . will provide commissioners with a framework to commission effective, high quality TB services and also recommends best practice for TB service deliverers and laboratories to continue to provide improving TB control in England.”