§ Mr. GryllsTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many imported medicine products have been granted product licences (parallel imports) which differ in formulation from the products available in the United Kingdom under a full product licence; and if he will name those which are in the therapeutic fields of cardiovascular medicine, diabetes and epilepsy.
§ Mr. NewtonI regret that this information is not readily available. However where the United Kingdom licensing authority is aware of differences in formulation between the imported medicinal product and that which is the subject of a full United Kingdom product licence, a product licence (parallel import) would be granted only if those differences were not considered to have therapeutic effect.