§ Sir Bernard Braineasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, in view of the official recognition now given by the Committee on the Safety of Medicines that Pregnavite Forte F is an effective means of preventing high-risk mothers from hearing spina bifida afflicted children, if he will state why the Medical Research Council is continuing its folic acid trials which involve giving placebos to women known to be at risk of bearing an afflicted baby.
Mr. JacksonI understand that the Medical Research Council has not seen the evidence presented to the Committee on Safety of Medicines. The council is unaware of any new evidence which suggests that preparations such as Pregnavite Forte F are an effective means of preventing high-risk mothers from bearing children afflicted with spina bifida. The M RC still holds the view that the value of vitamin supplementation in the prevention of neural tube defects is unknown and that it is important that the clinical trial which it is supporting be continued.
§ Sir Bernard Braineasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish in the Official Report full details of the Medical Research Council's trials on folic acid and the results so far.
Mr. JacksonThe council has informed me that at present there are 29 centres in five different countries and over 1,000 women participating in the trial. It is not normal practice to release results publicly before a trial is completed. The results from the trial, and any evidence from other sources, are regularly reviewed so that the trial can be stopped if clear evidence regarding the efficacy of vitamins in preventing neural tube defects emerges.