§ Mr. Mike Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will include the ethics committee of the Royal College of General Practitioners in the list of organisations whose refusal to give ethical approval requires the holder of an exemption from a clinical trial certificate to inform the licensing authority.
§ Dr. VaughanI understand that companies are not required to inform the licensing authority of any case where this committee is unable to approve a clinical trial. I would, however, expect that a GP involved in such a trial would abide by its advice, particularly in those parts of the country where district ethical committees have not yet been established.