Debendox (Hansard, 31 January 1980)

§ Mr. Ashley

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply of 24 January to the right hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South, if, when the Committee on the Safety of Medicines considered the possible teratogenic effects to antihistamines in June 1978 and February 1979, it had held a specific and separate inquiry into the drug Debendox;

(2) pursuant to his reply of 24 January to the right hon. Member for Stoke-on Trent, South, which particular reports he was referring to concerning cases of congenital abnormalities occurring in the children of women taking antihistamines such as Debendox;
(3) pursuant to his reply of 24 January to the right hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South, if following the granting of a product licence of right to Debendox in 1972, the same rigorous testing of this 750 drug has been undertaken similar to that of new drugs;
(4) if he will make a statement giving his estimate of the safety of the drug Debendox;
(5) pursuant to his reply of 24 January to the right hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South, if he will specify what research he was referring to which had not established any causal relationship between Debendox and congenital abnormalities; if special research has been conducted by the Committee on the Safety of Medicines; and if he considers that no further research is now necessary.