§ Mr. David NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if any United Kingdom product licence holders have informed his Department of counterfeit medicines reaching the United Kingdom supply chain.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe Department was informed on 27 September 1989 by Glaxo Pharmaceuticals Limited of a suspected counterfeit version of their licensed product Zantac, which had entered the United Kingdom supply chain. With the company's help it was confirmed that the product was a copy of Greek Zantac 150 mg. I refer my hon. Friend to my reply on 2 November at columns311–12.
§ Mr. David NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he proposes to take in the immediate future to minimise the risk of National Health Service patients receiving counterfeit medicines imported from other European Community countries.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe Department are seeking to identify products which might be vulnerable to counterfeiting. These will be targeted in the sampling programme operated by the medicines inspectorate for analysis. We are also proposing to collect and monitor data relating to selected imported products. These activities are in addition to the controls outined to my hon. Friend on 2 November 1989 at columns311–12.
§ Mr. David NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimates he has of the number of pharmaceutical wholesalers or importers who received quantities of Zantac 150 mg tablets, batch number294W A092F8, which were the subject of a drug alert notice issued by his Department on 29 September; and if he will name the wholesalers or importers concerned.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe Department established that five pharmaceutical wholesalers/importers received consignments of Zantac 150 mg tablets, batch No. A092F8. A study of the batch samples retained by these trading companies suggests that only one may have received the counterfeit product. As the Department's examination of the incident is continuing and it is also the subject of police inquiries, it would not be appropriate to identify the companies concerned.
§ Mr. David NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what response was received from hospital and community pharmacists in respect of the drug alert notice issued by his Department on 29 September concerning counterfeit Zantac 150 mg tablets; and what quantity of stocks were returned by dispensing pharmacists to their usual suppliers.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe response to the Department from hospital and community pharmacists following the issue of the drug alert letter on 29 Sepember was limited to a few inquiries seeking clarification. No stocks were returned by dispensing pharmacists to their suppliers.
§ Mr. David NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain has informed his Department of incidents of counterfeit medicines being distributed in the United Kingdom.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe Department has been informed by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society that during inquiries carried out by their inspectors into the sale of steroid creams and lotions some counterfeit medicines have been identified. The products, which are only permitted to be sold from registered pharmacies, were being sold by food and general shops to Afro-Caribbean customers for lightening the skin. The society intend to prosecute the retailers where possible.
There is no evidence that the material has reached pharmacies or even entered the licensed distribution system. On present information there is nothing to suggest that the application of the cream would be a danger to health. The society has alerted its members through professional journals.