Hello Terry,

Thanks for that - I didn't know that there was any difference in the NHS according to different regions of the UK.

Trying to to switch people to gabapentin and characterizing pregabalin as a third-line drug that can only be initiated by a specialist both sound like cost-cutting to me, not good medicine.

Anyway, I think the patent on pregabalin expires in 2018, at which time cheaper generics can compete. If this brings the price down, the very same doctors who were arguing against pregabalin may suddenly turn around and start recommending it to their patients.