Drug legal status

Government scraps plans to raise qualifying age for free prescriptions to 66 years in England

The Department of Health and Social Care cited "cost of living pressures" as a reason for abolishing the proposals.…

Number of ‘not dispensed’ prescriptions rises by a fifth in one year, NHS data reveal

Exclusive: An analysis by The Pharmaceutical Journal has revealed an 18% increase in the number of items marked as 'not dispensed' in the past year.…

‘Outdated, illogical and unfair’: the true cost of prescription charges

As increasing numbers of prescription medicines are not dispensed to the patients who need them, pharmacists warn that charging patients for prescriptions during the cost of living crisis could reverse efforts to close health inequalities.…

Government to ‘progress legislation’ on widening hub-and-spoke dispensing following consultation

The Department for Health and Social Care has said it is finalising a response to its consultation on proposed changes to hub-and-spoke dispensing.…

Oxybutynin to remain prescription-only medicine, following MHRA consultation

The medicines regulator said "overwhelming responses" to its consultation contributed to its decision against reclassification.…

Pharmacists given discretion to dispense urgent items on mixed prescriptions in ‘confusing’ HRT prepayment certificate guidance  

The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee says it is “totally unacceptable” to expect stretched community pharmacies to deal with the government's rules over mixed prescriptions and the new HRT prepayment certificate.…

Government plans to make nitrous oxide a controlled substance

Chris Philp, minister for crime, policing and fire, said the widespread availability of nitrous oxide, as well as a rise in reports of social and health harms from the substance, meant the government would control nitrous oxide under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.…

Survey reveals 9% of people with long-term health conditions cannot afford to collect their prescriptions

It was announced on 10 March 2023 that prescription charges in England would rise to £9.65 per item in April 2023.…

‘Pandemic of tragedy’: how the availability of drugs online led to the death of a 24-year-old

A father recounts how the death of his son Jason Houghton could have been prevented with tighter controls around the availability of drugs online.…

Prescription charge to increase by 30p from April 2023

The government said it had “applied an inflation rate of 3.21%” to the prescription charge, taking it from £9.35 to £9.65.…