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Prescribing food?

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GPs 'wasting millions of pounds' prescribing gluten free foods
John R. Davies
Published on: 19 February 2013

Published on: 19 February 2013
GPs 'wasting millions of pounds' prescribing gluten free foods
- John R. Davies, Consultant Anaesthetist
The February issue of the Drugs and Therepeutics Bulletin, a BMJ journal,has an editorial entitled "Prescribing foods?". I regret that despite my forty years of BMA membership and BMJ readership, I can only read an abstract, as I am considered a 'non-subscriber': http://dtb.bmj.com/content/51/2/13.extract
So I must also link to a Daily Telegraph article. It is by the DT's Medical Correspondent, who I can ass...
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The February issue of the Drugs and Therepeutics Bulletin, a BMJ journal,has an editorial entitled "Prescribing foods?". I regret that despite my forty years of BMA membership and BMJ readership, I can only read an abstract, as I am considered a 'non-subscriber': http://dtb.bmj.com/content/51/2/13.extract
So I must also link to a Daily Telegraph article. It is by the DT's Medical Correspondent, who I can assume HAS read the editorial: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9868852/GPs-wasting-millions- of-pounds-prescribing-gluten-free-foods.html
It appears that the D&TB editors have taken exception to the cost of treating coeliacs in the UK, quoted at £27M/year. They claim that prescription "inhibits competition meaning a loaf of Gluten-free bread can cost more than £5, compared with £3 in Tesco". They further claim that prescribing gluten-free foods is unnecessary as they are freely available in shops.
I would ask if these two male editors, for surely, like the PM who did not know what milk cost, if they have any idea how much an ordinary loaf costs in comparison? (£1.40) Or why they consider that coeliacs, with an unpleasant, lifelong diesease that can be complicated by osteoporosis, infertility, dermatitis, lactose intolerance, other autoimmune diseases and Hodgkins lymphoma or adenocarcinoma, and is successfully treated at relatively low cost should not have that treatment on the NHS? And why coeliacs should be singled out against diabetics (annual cost to the NHS ?9.6BILLION) or asthmatics (?1 billion)?
I do not defend the provision of 'pizza bases', nor that anyone who makes a 'life-style choice' to go gluten-free should get their chosen diet on the NHS. I just plead that clinically diagnosed coeliacs, who have to work hard to avoid the gluten that creeps into foods of many types, may be provided with a palatable gluten-free bread, Glutafin Fresh, that is NOT available without a prescription.
Dr.John Davies, FRCA Albert House Haverbreaks Lancaster LA1 5BN
Conflict of Interest:
First, I must declare an interest. My partner is a coeliac, who must rigorously avoid gluten because otherwise she suffers severe symptoms, abdominal pain, and diarrhoea.
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Conflict of Interest:
None declared.
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