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GP still prescribing phased out medication?
Fell ill recently and went to GP and got diagnosed with common flu with the usual symptoms: sore throat, runny/blocked nose, phlegm, low grade fever and body aches.I got prescribed a lot of medications but they treat different symptoms. I went over them when the staff handed over but I couldn't exactly point out which to reject since I was feeling quite ill. Sore throat was so painful, it felt like my throat got cut with glass.
Out of curiosity today, I googled one of the medications for inflammation: Lysozyme HCL (Leftose) and found out that HSA announced back in 2017 that it would phase out Lysozyme due to lack of efficacy. I've previously been prescribed and took it for other bouts of sore throat symptoms and have always felt it didn't do much to reduce the inflammation when I take it vs not taking it. It's the lozenges that soothes the pain and helps the most. I looked at my last batch of medications from 2025 and found out that Serriopeptidase (prescribed for inflammation) was also announced back in 2011 by HSA that it didn't more benefit than placebo lol.
Can I ask any doctors/ pharmacists/ knowledgeable folks, why are these drugs still being prescribed by GP to treat these common symptoms eventhough HSA has announced to phase them out as medicinal products? I understand the licenses are still valid and it's minimal safety concern to take them but if they lack efficacy, then why prescribe? How are GPs updating themselves about what drugs are lacking in efficacy and what newer generation drugs should be prescribed, since GPs are less specialised and there are so many drugs to keep track?