§ 26. Mr. Swinglerasked the Minister of Health what steps are being taken by his Department to prevent the conduct of medical experiments with harmful effects on the patients concerned.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodI have nothing to add to the answer given to the hon. Member on 14th February which has been brought to the notice of the responsible officers of hospital boards.
§ Mr. SwinglerWill the Minister ask his officers and the Medical Research Council to keep a continuous watch on this matter? Is he aware that there are still occasional reports in the medical Press of experiments with new drugs that are known to have harmful effects on the patients concerned? Will he, therefore, ask those who are nationally responsible for this research to bear that in mind and put a check on those who perhaps are going a little too far in these matters?
§ Mr. MacleodFollowing an exchange which we had in the House, I arranged for this matter to be brought to the notice of secretaries and senior administrative medical officers of the Regional hospital boards and the secretaries of boards of governors. They were given a copy of a confidential memorandum issued by the Medical Research Council to members of its staff who are engaged in any research of this kind. Therefore, I think that the situation has been covered. If the matter needs following up, I will see that that is done.