§ Mrs. Joyce Butlerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to protect patients who are not receiving proper warnings of the consequences of eating certain foods while taking particular drugs because of a dispute between doctors and pharmacists.
§ Mr. Crossman:I am aware of no such dispute. Doctors I am sure recognise their responsibility for giving any necessary warning to patients about diet in relation to drugs they have prescribed, and in 1964 the Committee on Safety of Drugs circulated to doctors a leaflet about diet and monoamine oxidase inhibitors. The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry have since arranged for their member firms to issue 408W to doctors on request cards which they could hand to patients under treatment with these drugs. I understand that to provide a further safeguard the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain have been consulting with the British Medical Association on the wording of similar cards for issue when such drugs are dispensed.