PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Drugs: Licensing (21 November 2014)

Off patent medicines are those where the original manufacturer’s patent has expired. The National Health Service has an excellent record in using these medicines. This is known as generic prescribing and over 83% of prescribing in primary care is done generically.

The term ‘off-label’ prescribing refers to the use of a drug outside of its licensed indication, i.e. in a different dose or for a different condition. We are focussing on supporting clinicians in incorporating the most up to date and robust evidence into patient care, including where that may involve the off-label use of a medicine.