Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of replacing prescriptions for low protein foods with targeted financial support for patients with Phenylketonuria to buy products directly.

The Department is not planning to assess the feasibility of replacing prescriptions for low protein foods with targeted financial support for individuals with phenylketonuria (PKU).

In England, low protein products are available to all eligible patients on prescription and are listed in Part XV of the Drug Tariff. The provision of these products on prescription ensures that patients with PKU have direct and reliable access to the foods needed for managing their condition.

Targeted financial support schemes have been shown to introduce additional complexity for patients and the National Health Service.

Patients with PKU may also be eligible for prescription charge exemptions, depending on their circumstances. Eligibility depends on the patient’s age, whether they are in qualifying full-time education, whether they are pregnant or have recently given birth, whether they have a qualifying medical condition, or whether they are in receipt of certain benefits or a war pension.