§ Lord Northfieldasked Her Majesty's Govern ment:
How many of the 24 companies that arc being considered for prosecution, or are being investigated for alleged infringement of the Product Licence (Parallel Import) scheme, are imported distributors and how many are retail pharmacies.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Security (Baroness Trumpington)All the companies involved are trading in medicinal products by way of wholesale dealing. They obtain their supplies from either importing companies or direct from European Community member states. Information about their link or association with retail pharmacies is not generally pursued as part of our investigations. Alleged breaches of Medicines Act requirements involving retail phramacies would be dealt with by the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain.