Benzodizapines.

[JoJo88]

Re The above. My gp has told me that the government are stopping all "Benzo's" due them being addictive,agreed. I'm wondering if the ruling from the government applies to everyone in the Uk. I asked my doc but he was non commital. Does anyone here know about the policy? I live in Wales btw. All replies appreciated.

[Buenchico]

There seems to be a lot of misinformation there!

The Government isn't 'stopping' benzodiazepine. However the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recognises that there's strong evidence to indicate that long-term use of benzodiazepine increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease. They can also increase cognitive impairment in general and are associated with a raised risk of falls and accidents. (That, in turn, can adversely affect a patient's lifestyle, through preventing them from driving a car).

So, unsurprisingly, NICE expects GPs to try to get people off benzodiazepine if at all possible.

Here's the evidence upon which NICE bases its advice to GPs
https://www.nice.org.uk/advice/ktt6/chapter/evidence-context
and here's the actual advice itself:
https://cks.nice.org.uk/benzodiazepine-and-z-drug-withdrawal#!scenario

[Buenchico]

PS:
NICE was set up as a 'Special Health Authority' in 1999 to serve the NHS in both England and Wales.