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Viral Diseases: Drugs

Volume 497: debated on Wednesday 14 October 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many antiviral collection points have been provided in each primary care trust area; and how many courses of antivirals have been distributed in each primary care trust area through such points to date; (286319)

(2) with reference to the Statement of 20 July 2009, Official Report, columns 583-5, on swine flu, if he will place in the Library a copy of the list of all antiviral collection points in each primary care trust.

Data on the number of antiviral collection points (ACPs) in each primary care trust (PCT) were made available to all Members following the launch of the National Pandemic Flu Service on 23 July 2009. However, this list changes in response to local demand and the list as at 30 September 2009 has been placed in the Library.

In each PCT area, or where demand from swine flu has been very modest across a number of PCTs, they have been asked to mobilise at least one ACP locally. More have been opened to respond to the level of demand from patients and the public for rapid access to antivirals.

Cumulatively from 23 July to 29 September 2009 around 590,000 antivirals have been collected. The breakdown by PCT has been placed in the Library.