Lord Black of Brentwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Black of Brentwood on 2016-07-20.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether individuals using generic versions of Truvada for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) obtained online from overseas can access free at the point of need the appropriate monitoring and tests that are required, including as necessary tests for the pharmacological efficacy of the generic drugs they are taking, even though Truvada for PrEP has not been commissioned by NHS England.

Lord Prior of Brampton

It would not be possible or practical to monitor how individuals choose to access medicines or services outside of the National Health Service or to assess the impact on that individual. Registered pharmacies that operate online and that may supply drugs for use as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) are the responsibility of the General Pharmaceutical Council. We are aware that some local authority commissioned sexual health services are offering monitoring of the pharmacological efficacy of generic PrEP however this is a matter for local decision.