1.—(1) These regulations may be cited as the National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts) (Prescription of Drugs etc.) Regulations 2004 and shall come into force on 1st April 2004.
(2) These Regulations apply to England only.
2. A drug, medicine or other substance listed in Schedule 1 may not be ordered for patients in the provision of medical services under a general medical services contract.
3. A drug, medicine or other substance specified in an entry in column 1 of Schedule 2 may not be ordered for a patient in the provision of medical services under a general medical services contract unless—
(a)that patient is a person of a description mentioned in column 2 of that entry; and
(b)that drug, medicine or other substance is prescribed for that patient only for the purpose specified in column 3 of that entry.
Signed by authority of the Secretary of State
John Hutton
Minister of State,
Department of Health
8th March 2004