§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, pursuant to his answers of 20 January, Official Report, c. 197–98 and 25 January, Official Report, c. 395–96, Eli Lilly or its British subsidiary gave the Committee on Safety of Medicines percentage figures for the incidence of photosensitivity to Opren or details of its likely severity, either with the application for a product licence or subsequently; and whether the company at any time indicated that deaths could arise from photosensitivity.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeAs I stated in the House on 27 January—[Vol. 35, c. 1120]—the Committee on Safety of Medicines received evidence from Lilly Industries Ltd. in support of their product licence application relating to the incidence and severity of photosensitivity adverse reactions.
No deaths have been reported associated with a photosensitivity adverse reaction to Opren. The four deaths categorised under "skin disorders" in my previous reply to the right hon. Member on 20 January—[Vol. 35, c. 198]—were associated with a different and much more serious rare skin condition, toxic epidermal necrolysis, often known as Stevens Johnson syndrome.