Drugs (Hansard, 11 March 1963)

§ 31. Mr. Driberg
asked the Minister of Health if, in view of the probability that some of the infantile deformities attributable to thalidomide would not have occurred if the containers of this drug had been labelled with its name, he will reconsider the policy of withholding from patients the names of drugs prescribed under the National Health Service and require that such names be stated on the labels of containers, unless the doctor prescribing a drug gives specific instructions to the contrary.

§ Mr. Powell
This is not a matter for me.

§ Mr. Driberg
If it is not a matter for the right hon. Gentleman, will he be good enough to advise me how I can get it dealt with? Could he also explain the real reason for having these plain labels marked "The Tablets"? Since he was good enough on a previous occasion to say that there had been widespread publicity about the dangers of thalidomide, which was a matter for him, does the Minister agree that some at least of these tragedies could have been avoided if the mothers had realised what drugs were in the bottles?

§ Mr. Powell
This is a matter of professional discretion and professional ethics, and it is for the doctor in each case to decide what labels he considers should appear on the medicine as dispensed to his patient. This is a matter which has been considered very carefully and recently by the professions concerned.

§ Sir J. Duncan
Will my right hon. Friend accept my congratulations on the brevity and effectiveness of his Answer?

§ Mr. K. Robinson
Does not the Minister think that there is a great deal of substance in the suggestion made by my hon. Friend the Member for Barking (Mr. Driberg)? If the right hon. Gentleman is not in a position to do anything himself, could he not, perhaps, get the Central Health Services Council or one of his medical advisory councils to look into the matter once again, particularly in view of the specific case quoted by my hon. Friend?

§ Mr. Powell
This is a matter which understandably is frequently raised and, as I say, has been most carefully and recently considered by the professional organisations, both pharmaceutical and medical, which are involved.

§ Sir H. Linstead
Would not my right. hon. Friend agree that there is a great difference of opinion within the medical profession on this matter and that for that reason alone it is not possible to impose one rule upon the profession?

§ Mr. Powell
This is certainly not a matter in which I would think it right for me to impose rules upon the professions concerned.

§ Mr. Driberg
Since the Minister took responsibility for issuing widespread warnings to the public about the dangers of thalidomide, when these were discovered, did he not realise that his warnings were being made partly ineffective by this very thing?

§ Mr. Powell
No. The warnings which my Department, not only on that occasion but at regular intervals, give are to throw away all medicines after the occasion for their use has passed. That is what the public should do.

§ Mr. Speaker
Mr. Wainwright, Question No. 32.

§ Mr. Dugdale
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. If this Question is not the responsibility of the Minister, which he clearly said it was not, how came it to be accepted and why did he answer it?

§ Mr. Speaker
I cannot deal with that now.