Further to WAQ73905, what are the associated costs of the provision of such drugs during this period?
Answered by Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport | Answered on 25/09/2017
The table below shows the number and net ingredient costs (NIC) of prescriptions per calendar year. The figures represent prescriptions for tablets and capsules only, where paracetamol or ibuprofen is the primary or sole active ingredient.
| Prescriptions for paracetamol and ibuprofen tablets | ||||
| Year | 2015 | | 2016 | |
| Medicine | Number | NIC (£) | Number | NIC (£) |
| Paracetamol | 1,348,030 | 4,674,357. 42 | 1,305,426 | 3,785,799,63 |
| Ibuprofen | 379,204 | 1,136,891. 26 | 327,829 | 936,760. 63 |
All prescribers decide on clinical grounds what a patient needs on prescription to help improve their health, based on their professional judgement and the patient's clinical needs. It is appropriate, for example, to prescribe paracetamol for patients with long-term conditions such as arthritis.