Celiac.com 03/07/2017 - The Brits are having a bit of a dustup over the best way to help people support with celiac disease.
Currently, Britain's National Health Service supplies prescriptions for gluten-free food staples for people with celiac disease. Seemingly, no one disagrees with medical experts that celiac suffers should get support from the National Health Service to buy certain staple gluten-free products.
The question, at least from one side of the political spectrum, seems to be whether prescriptions are the best way to provide that support. And that question lies at the heart of the dustup.
In a recent article, the British Medical Journal presents a 'head to head' case for and against gluten-free prescriptions on the NHS.
In opposition to prescriptions, James Cave...

Celiac.com 07/20/2017 - In the face of budget cuts, and in a move that may offer a glimpse of things to come, doctors with the the UK's National Health Service are eliminating gluten-free food prescriptions for adults, beginning in parts of Devon.
As of July 1, the Northern, Eastern and Western Devon Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) responsible for planning and buying the majority of healthcare services for local people have recommended limiting gluten free foods including bread, pasta, flour and multipurpose mixes, to under 18 years of age.
That means that approximately 3,400 adults in Devon will no longer receive gluten free food prescriptions, a move calculated to save tax payers around £350,000 per year.
The CCG says the action is part of a plan to encourage people to purchase ...

Celiac.com 05/24/2018 - England is facing some hard questions about gluten-free food prescriptions for people with celiac disease. Under England’s National Health Plan, people with celiac disease are eligible for gluten-free foods as part of their medical treatment. 
The latest research shows that prescription practice for gluten-free foods varies widely, and often seems independent of medical factors. This news has put those prescribing practices under scrutiny.
"Gluten free prescribing is clearly in a state of flux at the moment, with an apparent rapid reduction in prescribing nationally," say the researchers. Their data analysis revealed that after a steady increase in prescriptions between 1998 and 2010, the prescription rate for gluten free foods has both fallen, and be...

Celiac.com 01/06/2020 - National charity Coeliac UK is opposing the further proposed cuts to gluten-free prescriptions for many patients in Buckinghamshire, which they say goes against the Government’s decision to maintain this essential support for all patients with celiac disease.
For those unfamiliar with the British system of getting gluten-free food to people with celiac and other gluten sensitivities, the system works by providing prescriptions for gluten-free bread and flour mixes.
Citing recent trends toward more readily available gluten-free foods in general, there has been a push by some in UK government to eliminate food prescriptions, which are currently handled as part of the NHS, the UK's famous health program.
The charity points to a recent effort b...