Patient group directions
Patient Group Directions (PGDs) are documents (in the English National Health Service) permitting the supply of prescription-only medicines (POMs) to groups of patients, without individual prescriptions.[1][2] Healthcare workers using PGDs should be sufficiently trained to be able to supply and administer POMs.
PGDs have been used to make certain POMs available to the public, under certain circumstances. These drugs include Orlistat (as Xenical) for weight loss in cases of Obesity[3], Finasteride (as Propecia) for restoration of hair in Male-pattern baldness[3], Sildenafil (as Viagra) [4] for Erectile dysfunction and Levonorgestrel as Emergency Hormonal Contraception[5]. The supply of Levonelle is different, however, in that it is not a POM, but can be used to provide the drug free of charge.