Towards cheaper intravenous nutrition.

During these times of financial restraint it is beholden on all clinicians critically to evaluate their therapeutic methods with regard to cost effectiveness. Take, for example, intravenous nutrinion. Can it be justified in terms of clinical benefit and, if so, might not the costs be reduced without compromising the effectiveness of the regimens employed? Intravenous feeding is expensive. The solutions and additives alone cost between £50 and £70 a day, which amounts to almost £100 000 in any hospital feeding six patients at any one time over a year. Furthermore, this expenditure does not include the material costs of administering these solutions or the substantial labour costs incurred by medical, nursing, and pharmacy staff. Clearly, if the number of patients receiving intravenous nutrition could be reduced then substantial savings in hospital expenditure could be achieved.