What the cost to the NHS was of male impotence drugs in each of the last three years.

The following table givesthe number of prescribed items and gross ingredient cost for the financialyears ending 31 March 2001, 2002 and 2003. Data in the table refer toprescriptions dispensed in the community but do not take into account medicinesdispensed by hospitals or hospital-based clinics.
The total cost is calculatedfrom the sum of the gross ingredient cost of the drugs plus the dispensing feepaid to the pharmacy, minus any prescription charges paid by the patient at thepoint of dispensing.
Information is not availableon the number or cost of prescription charges paid using pre-paymentcertificates. Discounts paid to the pharmacies by the drug suppliers depend onthe individual pharmacy; as these are not readily available they have beenexcluded from the table.
Year Ending 31 March
| Number of Prescribed Items
| Gross Ingredient Cost
(£)
| Pharmacy Dispensing Fees
(£)
| Patient Charges
(£)
| Total Cost
(£)

2001
| 68,429
| 2,578,583
| 64,665
| 52,974
| 2,590,274

2002
| 89,673
| 3,326,032
| 84,831
| 69,943
| 3,340,920

2003
| 108,830
| 4,106,833
| 103,345
| 81,183
| 4,128,995