Drugs (Hansard, 6 February 1958)

25. Mrs. Slater
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what precautions are taken to protect the public from the marketing of new drugs which may be likely to cause harm to the public if used without proper safeguards.

§ Mr. Renton
There are special provisions for the control of drugs coming within the scope of the Dangerous Drugs Act or the Therapeutic Substances Act. As regards other drugs, before placing new substances on the market manufacturers take every precaution, if necessary by laboratory tests and clinical trials, to ensure that they are not harmful. In appropriate cases where it is found, either before a drug has been marketed, or afterwards, that it may have harmful effects, the Poisons Board are asked to consider whether it should be controlled as a poison.

Mrs. Slater
Is not the hon. and learned Member aware that there is vast and growing concern at the amount of drugs which are now being put on the open market and which can thus be bought quite freely? Is he aware that there have been several cases of people who have suffered very badly—some have landed in mental homes and some have even died—as a result of the free sale of these drugs? Is not it time that these drugs were referred to the Poisons Board before being put on the open market?

§ Mr. Renton
I am not sure whether the hon. Lady is referring to what are known as new drugs. If she is, then that is a matter which should put to my right hon. and learned Friend the Minister of Health. Of course, a great many of the well-known and established substances are perfectly harmless when taken in moderate quantities and can become dangerous only when taken in excess. As I am sure the hon. Lady realises, there would be no point in making such substances into poisons from the technical point of view. In any event, it is for the Poisons Board to use its initiative in this matter.

§ Mr. Mellish
There is a drug on the market—I will not name it—about which some authorities have already written direct to the Poisons Board with no success, and about which I, too, have written, proving that in a number of instances it 1341 has caused death because it becomes a danger once it has been taken by some people. Surely this matter should be looked at again. I will not at the moment name the drug, but if we carry on much longer I will name it.

§ Mr. Renton
The hon. Member has not named the substance concerned. Perhaps he will let me have particulars.

Mrs. Slater
If the hon. and learned Member cares to look up the files in his own Department and to check with the Minister of Health, he will find that I, too, have been writing for a long time about the very same drug as that to which my hon. Friend the Member for Bermondsey (Mr. Mellish) referred. I have had a letter from the Secretary of State to the Home Department. Is it not true that in 1957 the Secretary of State for the Home Department promised that he would take the question of this drug into consideration and that nothing has been done since? Will he give further consideration to it?

§ Mr. Mellish
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. May I have your advice and help? The Under-Secretary has said that I will not name the drug. The reason is that it is a drug well known to the public. If, in fact, I name it, I shall no doubt then be accused of abusing the Privilege of the House in order to smear someone or some firm. I should like to know from your, Mr. Speaker, whether I should now name the drug?

§ Mr. Speaker
That is not a point of order. The best advice I can give the hon. Member is that he should use his own discretion, which I think is quite capable of surmounting the difficulty.

26. Mrs. Slater
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when it is expected that the Poisons Board is likely to report on the question of drugs which may not be poisons but are liable to produce harmful effects if taken in excess.

§ Mr. Renton
I cannot yet say when the Report will be ready.

Mrs. Slater
Can the hon. and learned Gentleman give some definite information as to how long this Report is likely to take, as not only the general public but the doctors themselves are concerned?

§ Mr. Renton
It is a very difficult and complicated scientific question, and the Board must be given time to work out its answer.