§ 18. Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that the warning system by which his Department notifies doctors of possible dangers of drugs is working effectively.
§ Mr. MoyleThe Committee on Safety of Medicines is at present consulting on proposals to improve the post-marketing surveillance of drugs and is constantly reviewing its methods of communicating with the professions.
§ Mr. AshleyIs my hon. Friend aware that these constant reviews are completely ineffective, because after doctors were warned that hormone drugs like the pregnancy test drug Primodos could cause babies to be malformed they were still prescribing these drugs? Despite the negative response and complacent replies I have had from his Department, this matter is of growing public concern.
§ Mr. MoyleI agree with my hon. Friend that this is a matter of proper concern. That is why we are seeking to reinforce the yellow card system by the new system of surveying about 20 drugs every year and the patients who are taking them. We are consulting upon this new approach. When we have had the replies, we can take a decision on what needs to be done.