Health trusts admit limiting costly drugs

Drugs to treat conditions including cancer, heart disease, asthma, diabetes and epilepsy have been blacklisted – with GPs being told not to prescribe them.

The instructions come despite the fact the medicines have been approved by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) for use on the NHS.

A freedom of information investigation by GP newspaper found one in four primary care trusts (PCTs) surveyed had blacklisted Nice drugs.

Altogether 71 primary care trusts (PCTs) in England responded to the request for information.

Some 33 PCTs had blacklists of drugs, of which 18 had Nice-approved drugs on those lists.

Drugs on the lists were “not recommended for use” or “not prescribable” because they are deemed too expensive or not effective enough.