Low-dose heparin prophylaxis of postoperative venous thrombosis: preparations and costs

Our article (November 10, p. 89) gave the basic NHS cost of a 7-day perioperative course (5000 i.u. 12-hourly) as 75 to 90p. MIMS gave the wrong price and in fact Weddel’s heparin costs the same as the other brands, and 75p. is the correct figure. It is worth noting that in the case of heparin, which is almost entirely used in hospitals, the actual cost is up to 25% less than the ‘basic NHS cost’, because most hospitals buy large quantities at special contract prices. The opposite is true for drugs dispensed by retail pharmacists, where the actual cost exceeds the basic NHS cost because it includes a dispensing fee and container allowance.