Request

I would like information regarding number of Lamotrigine prescriptions by year from 2000 to end of 2024. Ideally I would like this broken down into approved use (epilepsy and bipolar) and off label use (other psychiatric conditions, neuropathic pain..). I am working with MHRA to improve guidance given to prescribing doctors. I am also trying to lobby for funding into SJS by GSK. This prescription information would be very useful. Lamotrigine is the worst offending drug for SJS/TENS reactions.

Response

I am writing to advise you that following a search of our paper and electronic records, I have established that the information you requested is not held by the NHS Business Services Authority.

As we do not hold data on clinical indication, we wouldn’t be able to separate prescriptions broken down by approved use or off-label prescribing, as we hold no data on the reasons why a prescription of Lamotrigine has been issued to a patient. We do hold data on the total number of prescriptions for Lamotrigine prescribed or dispensed within a community setting, although this is publicly available.

To obtain this, the you can access our Prescription Cost Analysis statistics at https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/prescription-cost-analysis-pca-annual-statistics, which holds the data on an annual basis dating back to 2014 (this is the earliest date we have prescribing data available, both publicly and within ePact2.)

To filter for Lamotrigine - You can access each calendar or financial year and add Lamotrigine as a filter on the chemical substance to bring back all relevant presentations dispensed. You also have the option of filtering by presentation, if you were interested in the number of dispensed prescriptions for specific quantities of the drug.

As prescription data is currently only available until October 2024 there isn't a full breakdown for 2024 as a calendar year, but the you can access 2024's monthly data here - https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/prescription-cost-analysis-pca-monthly-data. This data can also be filtered by chemical substance in the same way.

The PCA has information on prescription items dispensed in the community in England which have been submitted to the NHSBSA for reimbursement, and includes items prescribed in England, Wales, Scotland, Guernsey, Alderney, Jersey, Isle of Man and Northern Ireland.

I would note that the PCA applies a methodology to generically prescribed drugs that are not available to dispense generically. PCA uses reimbursement policy to suggest what drug is dispensed to the patient (not necessarily what was actually dispensed to the patient). PCA relates to dispensing within a community setting and does not include hospital dispensing data, however PCA data does include hospital prescribing that has been dispensed in the community in England.