§ Mr. Mike Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he next
664Wbrand and chemical names of the drug involved, the manufacturer of the drug, and the date on which protocols were first received.
§ Mr. MoyleI would again refer my hon. Friend to the general statement on clinical trials in the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Brent, South (Mr. Pavitt) on 22nd March—[Vol. 946, cc.603-4.] Provided that a clinical trial is in accordance with the relevant product licence, my Department will not normally receive details unless a query or complaint arises in connection with that trial.
Since 1st January 1974 the following protocols have been received:
expects the British National Formulary to appear; how frequently it is planned to publish it in future; and when he expects to be in a position to announce editorial and financial arrangements for the publication.
§ Mr. MoyleThe British National Formulory (BNF) is an independent publication of the British Medical Association and the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, at present produced by a Joint Formulary Committee of those bodies. I understand that there will not be a 1978 edition of the BNF because of work aimed at producing a new style of BNF in 1980 involving changes in editorial organisation, format and frequency of issue. The health Departments are associated with this, as appropriate, but the BNF will continue to be independent and it will be for the publishers to make statements about such matters.
The health Ministers will continue to buy the BNF as an aid to NHS prescribing. The financial arrangements will depend on detailed costings not yet available.