HC Deb 13 June 1972 vol 838 cc254-5W
Mr. Pavitt

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take action to ensure that all new medicines of foreign origin, which may have been sanctioned for use in a country where differences of race, traditions of treatment, diet and the environment may lead to a reaction very different from that of patients in the United Kingdom, are adequately clinically tested before being made available to the medical profession or the public.

Mr. Alison

A product licence is required for the marketing of any new medicinal product in the United Kingdom. The licensing authority is advised by the Committee on Safety of Medicines on questions of the safety, efficacy and quality of medicines. Irrespective of country of origin or usage abroad, the committee takes into account all the relative circumstances in considering whether the clinical and other data available is adequate in relation to safety and efficacy for any proposed use.