Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Afghan poppies 'could help NHS'

By Adam Brimelow

BBC News, health correspondent


Leading doctors say Afghanistan's opium-poppy harvest should be used to tackle an NHS shortage of diamorphine.

The British Medical Association says using the poppy fields in this way, rather than destroying them, would help Afghans and NHS patients

Diamorphine, also known as heroin, is used to relieve pain after operations and for the terminally ill.

But the UK and Afghan governments reject using the poppy fields to address the UK's diamorphine shortage.
However, UK doctors say the diamorphine shortage is getting worse, leaving them reliant on less effective, more expensive alternatives.

Dr Jonathan Fielden, a consultant in anaesthesia and intensive care medicine in Reading, said: "Unfortunately over the last year in particular, the availability of diamorphine has dramatically reduced.

"It's not clear why this is, but it has got to the stage where it is almost impossible in some hospitals to get hold of this drug for use outside very specific circumstances.

"This is a great shame because it is such a good drug".
IRONIC DONT YOU THINK.........................
THE GOVERNMENT SPENDING £540M TRYING TO DESTROY THESE FIELDS AND WE
NEED THE PRODUCT OF THEM FOR OUR NHS FOR WHICH THE GOVERNMENT CLAIM
IS £500M IN THE RED....................MAKES NO SENSE......................