§ 59. Mr. Peter Millsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the proposal that the drug L-Dopa should be prescribed on the National Health Service to sufferers from Parkinson's Disease, in view of the side effects that this drug produces.
§ Dr. John DunwoodyThe Committee on Safety of Drugs issued a public statement this morning which makes clear the general position. I am sending the hon. Member a copy.
The committee has had full information about only one preparation of the drug, which is at present available in limited quantities only, and has cleared it for use in clinical trials organised by the Medical Research Council. The committee points out in its statement that doctors are at liberty to prescribe for their patients whatever they consider appropriate; but it has been unable to assess the quality and safety of preparations of L-Dopa for which chemical, pharmacological and toxicological data has not been provided.