Stop Smoking - The Scottish Way!

Smokers trying to quit the habit were mistakenly prescribed anti-impotence drug Viagra by doctors. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said the error was due to a computer glitch at two city GP practices.

When GPs selected anti-smoking pill Zyban, computers selected sildenafil, the generic name for Viagra. The e-Formulary computer system used by GPs automatically selects a list of the most popular drugs when doctors fill out prescriptions.

Some patients went to the pharmacy with a prescription for the anti-impotence drug instead of tablets to help them stop smoking. The health board was made aware of the problem on Tuesday and alerted all its GPs to the problem.

A health board spokeswoman said: "A computer glitch was discovered by two Glasgow GP practices that use the Glasgow e-Formulary, following a recent update of the online GPass system used throughout Scotland.

"A member of the public caught up in the issue stated that he knew something was wrong when every time he felt like a cigarette he had to nip off for a quick wank instead"

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