In vitro fertilisation for all?: Postcode lottery is more complex than it seems

doi:10.1136/bmj.327.7425.1226-a

BMJ 2003;327:1226 (22 November), doi:10.1136/bmj.327.7425.1226-a

Letter

In vitro fertilisation for all?

Postcode lottery is more complex than it seems

The first 100% of the full text of this article appears below.

EDITOR—Inequality of provision of health care becauseof postcode prescribing is more complex than suggested by Ashcroft.¹Some differences may indeed result from differences in prioritiesand values between purchasers, but whether a service is fundeddepends on rates of ill health and funding locally.

This primary care trust is funded at £10m under its targetallocation. We have to prioritise serious medical and psychiatricconditions. This combination of high morbidity and under-resourcingis why we do not fund in vitro fertilisation, not because weplace a low value on it.

Gaby J Tobias, co-chair

City and Hackney Primary Care Trust, London E9 7PX Gaby.Tobias@chpct.nhs.uk

Competing interests: None declared.