HC Deb 24 May 1989 vol 153 cc559-60W
Mr. David Nicholson

To ask the Secretary of State for Health by what means counterfeit medicines imported into the United Kingdom from elsewhere within the European Community will be detected when inter-community custom barriers are removed in 1992.

Mr. Mellor

Detailed arrangements affecting the importation of pharmaceutical products after 1992 have not yet been decided.

Mr. David Nicholson

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he intends to take action under article 36 of the treaty of Rome, on the grounds of public safety, to control the quality, efficacy and safety of parallel imported medicines in view of the recent instances of counterfeit medicines being found in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Mellor

We have no plans at present to do so. I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to him on 3 May at column150.