§ Dr. Summerskillasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied that the Medicines Commission is adequately fulfilling its function of controlling the advertising of prescription medicines; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir K. JosephUnder the Medicines Act, 1968, the Medicines Commission is not responsible for the control of the34W advertising of medicines, but some provisions of the Act are relevant. With effect from 1st September, 1971, which as I have recently announced, is to be the first appointed day for the purposes of Part II of the Act, no new product may be promoted or advertised to practitioners unless they have been supplied within a specified period with a data sheet. (For products which will be entitled to licences of right there are transitional exemptions which terminate six months after the end of the transitional period of exemption from licensing. These data sheets are required to be consistent with the terms of the relevant product licences and regulations will be made to ensure that they are limited to moderate and sober statements of fact. Other provisions of Part VI of the Act relate to false and misleading advertisements.—[Vol. 819, c. 308.]