§ Mr. John Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how the Safety Council for Drugs observations, and particularly the possibility of side effects of drugs are brought to the attention of general practitioners; and whether he is satisfied with existing procedures.
§ Dr. VaughanThe advice of the Committee on Safety of Medicines on all matters relating to a drug including adverse reactions, is normally incorporated in the product data sheet which is made available to doctors by the pharmaceutical company concerned. The committee itself32W also issues directly to doctors, including all general practitioners, its regular publication "Current Problems" which gives information about adverse reactions to certain drugs which have been considered by the committee; where an urgent warning of serious side effects in one or a group of drugs is necessary the committee sends to doctors a leaflet in the "Adverse Reactions Series".
I am satisfied that these procedures are working reasonably well.