§ LORD ARCHIBALDMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there has been any development on the labelling of medicines since the reply to a Question on March 26, 1969, indicating that the Council of the Pharmaceutical Society had proposed detailed procedures for dealing with this, on the general basis that in future the name would be written on the label unless the prescriber gave contrary instructions, as has been urged by bodies representative of the medical profession; and whether they will insist that this proposed procedure be accepted in respect of National Health Service prescriptions.]
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SECURITY (BARONESS SEROTA)Yes, my Lords. The detailed procedures proposed by the Council of the Pharmaceutical Society were not, unfortunately, accepted by the local bodies representative of pharmacists, but I am informed that the medical and pharmaceutical professions have set up a Working Party to consider this and other matters of mutual interest. In the meantime, the General Medical Services Committee have recently in their Annual Report urged prescribers to use the present convention and write "N.P." unless there are reasons why the name of the drug should not appear on the label. They have also, through the local medical committees, asked dispensing doctors who supply their patients with drugs 890 and medicines to name these on the label except when it is undesirable to do so. While the professions are together actively seeking agreement on a new convention we would be very reluctant to impose special requirements within the National Health Service.
§ LORD ARCHIBALDMy Lords, while thanking my noble friend for that Answer, may I ask her whether she realises that this matter has been before the House, through Questions raised by me, for something like ten years? Although there is a little progress indicated in her Answer, is she aware that it is very slight progress indeed? May I ask my noble friend whether this matter could not be urged with greater energy than has been the case in the past?
§ BARONESS SEROTAMy Lords, I appreciate that although my Answer takes us some way in the direction the noble Lords wishes to move, things are not moving as quickly as he expected. I think that the noble Lord can take some hope from what I have said. I have no doubt that in the next ten years my noble friend will continue to pursue this matter by Questions in this House and in other ways.
§ LORD WYNNE-JONESMy Lords, is my noble friend aware that there is considerable risk attached to the present method of labelling these drugs; because it is quite easy for a person to be given three or four different drugs with no indication of the difference between them, although one of them may be quite essential and the others less important?
§ BARONESS SEROTAMy Lords, I accept the noble Lord's point. I might add that the Committee on Safety of Drugs recommended that the name should appear on the label of drugs which are dispensed unless the prescriber gave contrary instructions. It is because of the weight of opinion that the profession are now moving, I hope, towards agreement.
§ LORD SEGALMy Lords, would Her Majesty's Government also consider having not only the name but also the cost of the prescription marked on the label, so that patients appreciate more fully the benefits they are receiving under the National Health Service?
§ BARONESS SEROTAMy Lords, with great respect to my noble friend, that is another point.
§ BARONESS SUMMERSKILLMy Lords, in view of the fact that every family in the country has a packet, a bottle or some container holding pills and powders and medicine unconsumed, would my noble friend agree that it would be in the interests of the economy of the National Health Service to expedite this policy?
§ BARONESS SEROTAYes, my Lords; and my Department are prepared to assist in this direction in every possible way.
§ LORD DOUGLAS OF BARLOCHMy Lord, may I ask whether consideration is being given to putting on the label the date of the dispensing, since many drugs, particularly antibiotics, deteriorate in the course of time?
§ BARONESS SEROTAMy Lords, that is another point which I shall refer to the professional bodies considering this matter.
§ LORD SEGALMy Lords, while appreciating the reply that my noble friend has given, would she nevertheless consider urging the Government to give this matter their attention?
§ BARONESS SEROTAMy Lords, all doctors receive lists of drugs, with the prices shown against them, and should be fully aware of the costs of the drugs which they are prescribing.