§ Mr. Ray Powellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, following the removal of Bisolvon from the selected list of National Health Service drugs scheme and the manufacturers' decision to discontinue this drug, what arrangements have been made for those patients who are dependent on Bisolvon and can find no alternative medication.
§ Mr. NewtonThe product licences of right for Bisolvon were withdrawn at the request of the licence holder on 31 December 1986.
Section 9 of the Medicines Act 1968 provides exemption from the licensing requirements to enable a doctor to administer an unlicensed medicinal product to a particular patient of his. Information on the availability of this drug for such use would be a matter for the supplier.
An adequate range of alternative medicines remains available on the National Health Service.