§ 51. Mr. Brooksasked the Minister of Health whether he will initiate research into the possible link between Lysergit Acid Diethylamide and genetic damage.
§ Mr. K. RobinsonI understand that the attention of the Safety of Drugs Committee has been drawn to a recent article in the New Scientist referring to a report of experimental work in America. When there has been an opportunity of studying the original report it will be possible to consider how far inquiries should be pursued in this country into a possible link between L.S.D. and genetic damage.
§ Mr. BrooksI thank my right hon. Friend for that Answer, but is he aware that American experience suggests that L.S.D. can cause chromosome damage similar to that associated with Bloom's Syndrome, which is a form of dwarfism; and, in the light of this, will he prosecute research into a drug which is not only mind-stretching but body-shrinking?
§ Mr. RobinsonI understand that the American experiments were conducted on white blood cells in test tubes and related to a study of the chromosomes in a single patient. So far, I understand that the Dunlop Committee in this country has not received any reports of genetic damage from this cause.