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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Call to act over prescription drug addiction | Call to act over prescription drug addiction |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Up to 1.5 million people could be addicted to prescription drugs and the problem must be dealt with urgently, a group of MPs has said. | |
| The Commons Home Affairs Committee wants GP surgeries to start collecting anonymous data. | |
| The MPs also want to make sure more is done to stop patients visiting several doctors to feed their addiction. | |
| Doctors' leaders said identifying people addicted to prescription drugs was not straightforward. | Doctors' leaders said identifying people addicted to prescription drugs was not straightforward. |
| Clearer picture | Clearer picture |
| The MPs believed more people may be addicted to sleeping tablets, painkillers and anti-depressants than to illegal drugs. | The MPs believed more people may be addicted to sleeping tablets, painkillers and anti-depressants than to illegal drugs. |
| But they said the problem was taking place "in the shadows" and much better data was required. | But they said the problem was taking place "in the shadows" and much better data was required. |
| The committee suggested that GPs should start reporting their suspicions and collect anonymous statistics so that a clearer picture could emerge. | The committee suggested that GPs should start reporting their suspicions and collect anonymous statistics so that a clearer picture could emerge. |
| It also recommended that the NHS did more to tackle "doctor-shopping" where an addict might visit multiple surgeries, perhaps as a temporary patient, to get more prescription drugs. | It also recommended that the NHS did more to tackle "doctor-shopping" where an addict might visit multiple surgeries, perhaps as a temporary patient, to get more prescription drugs. |
| The committee added that the authorities should be more prepared to prosecute - particularly in those cases where health professionals were supplying prescription drugs when there was no medical need. | The committee added that the authorities should be more prepared to prosecute - particularly in those cases where health professionals were supplying prescription drugs when there was no medical need. |
| 'Illuminate problem' | 'Illuminate problem' |
| Committee chairman Keith Vaz said: "There are currently 1.5 million people addicted to prescription drugs in the UK. The abuse of these types of substances is taking place in the shadows and its extent is still unquantified. | Committee chairman Keith Vaz said: "There are currently 1.5 million people addicted to prescription drugs in the UK. The abuse of these types of substances is taking place in the shadows and its extent is still unquantified. |
| "Local GPs need to report their suspicions and collate information to illuminate this problem." | "Local GPs need to report their suspicions and collate information to illuminate this problem." |
| Dr Chaand Nagpaul, chairman of the BMA's GP committee, said: "GPs already play a key role in treating patients in the community suffering from the impact of drug addiction. | Dr Chaand Nagpaul, chairman of the BMA's GP committee, said: "GPs already play a key role in treating patients in the community suffering from the impact of drug addiction. |
| "It is a devastating medical condition that ruins lives, families and communities and it is right that we continuously look at how we can improve drug addiction treatment. | "It is a devastating medical condition that ruins lives, families and communities and it is right that we continuously look at how we can improve drug addiction treatment. |
| "However, the identification of individuals addicted to prescription drugs is not straightforward and whilst we should do all we can to support their withdrawal from such drugs, we also need to ensure that patients are confident that their sensitive personal data will remain secure." | "However, the identification of individuals addicted to prescription drugs is not straightforward and whilst we should do all we can to support their withdrawal from such drugs, we also need to ensure that patients are confident that their sensitive personal data will remain secure." |
| "Any data collection exercise is properly considered, piloted and tested before it is implemented." | "Any data collection exercise is properly considered, piloted and tested before it is implemented." |