23 JUNE 1973, Page 5

Prescriptive medicine

Sir: I suppose that the British Medical Association are right in refusing to prescribe in respect of contraceptive sheaths. However, neither Dr Eban nor Dr Linklater (Letters, June 16) make any reference to the evil of overprescribing, which has dogged the National Health Service ever since its inception. Although some progress has been made in curbing this tendency, the fact remains that doctors generally. and some immigrant doctors in particular, are far too ready to prescribe massive quantities of potentially lethal drugs to persons who may indeed need small quantities to tide them over difficult periods, who in the long run would be far better off without drugs altogether.

G. Chowdhoray-Best 174 Clay Hill Road, Basildon, Essex.