NHS e-cigarette prescriptions on horizon as MHRA agrees same regulatory approvals process as medicines
The Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has recently updated its guidance in line with the government’s plans to help people stop smoking.
It means that England could be the first country in the world to make medicinally-licensed e-cigarette products available with an NHS prescription.
Manufacturers are now permitted to submit their products to MHRA to come under the same scrutiny and approval processes as other NHS-prescribed medicines.
This first step is hugely encouraging for people who want to quit traditional cigarettes, but there’s another hurdle to overcome before the initiative goes into full swing.
E-cigarettes and other vape products will require formal approval from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) before they can be made available on prescription.
Assuming that the initiative comes to fruition, it will be the responsibility of doctors to judge whether a patient would benefit from an e-cigarette product as an aid to quitting smoking. The legislation is being welcomed by the e-cigarette and vaping community, both users and suppliers.
But before we get too carried away, what are the implications, and what are the immediate questions that need asking? Anthony Mixides, CEO of The London Vape Company, offers his views:
“This is a great industry step! The team here at The London Vape Company are very excited about this new development as it provides added reassurance to people who want to quit smoking for good.”
Anthony added: “We are keen to get on board with the MHRA and action the required legwork to facilitate the NHS in their intentions.
“While doctors will be responsible for prescribing the products, we are curious to know how they will actually go about doing this. Our consultants take the quest for giving up cigarettes very seriously and, as such, ask a detailed set of questions to identify what levels of nicotine and device/kit would be suitable for anyone choosing to quit.
“Will doctors be trained in this vital fact-finding process and ask the right questions? Will they have the knowledge to help people choose the appropriate products? Perhaps they will put their faith in the industry and leave it to the retail consultants to navigate these essential elements – we’ll just have to wait and see.
“At the present time, we feel that the medical profession, GPs especially, do not have the knowledge or training to provide a serious solution. However, we are already working on a series of explanatory aids to assist them in the decision-making process.”
When asked about timelines and whether the initiative will actually go ahead, Anthony responded: “As this has now been presented to the public as a possible solution, we feel it is highly likely that it will go ahead. In terms of timelines, my guess is that it could be as early as quarter one 2022.”
Anthony is often approached for comment on the vaping and e-cigarette industry.
Watch him being interviewed by Sky News below:
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