EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts) (Prescription of Drugs etc.) Regulations 2004 (“the 2004 Regulations”) which make provision in respect of the drugs, medicines and substances that may or may not be ordered for patients in the provision of services under a general medical services contract within the meaning of section 84 of the National Health Services Act 2006.

Regulation 2 makes amendments to the table in Schedule 2 to the 2004 Regulations, which restricts the circumstances in which certain drugs, medicines and other substances may be ordered for specified categories of patients for specified purposes. The entry in the table relating to certain drugs which may only be ordered for the treatment of erectile dysfunction in restricted circumstances has been amended so as to remove Apomorphine Hydrochloride, Moxisylyte Hydrochloride, Sildenafil, and Thymoxamine Hydrochloride and to include Viagra and Avanafil.