HC Deb 24 April 1996 vol 276 cc175-6W
Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mechanisms are in place for the communication of fatal adverse drug reactions from the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys to the Medicines Control Agency and the Committee on Safety of Medicines. [26290]

Mr. Malone

Statistical analyses and death certificate reports are available to the Medicines Control Agency from the Office for National Statistics—the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys became part of the office for National Statistics on 1 April 1996—for use in drug safety monitoring.

Mr. Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the outside experts who attended the meeting of the Committee on Safety of Medicines on 13 October 1995 were appointed members for the day; and on what basis they were present at the meeting. [26246]

Mr. Malone

Yes, and I refer the hon. Member to the replies that I gave him on 11 December 1995 at column522 and on 7 March at column 322.

Mr. Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 11 December,Official Report, column 522, on what basis members may be appointed members for the day to the Committee on Safety of Medicines; and if those members are legally liable for the advice emanating from the Committee on Safety of Medicines on that day. [26254]

Mr. Malone

I refer the hon. Member to the replies that I gave him on 11 December at col522 and on 7 March at col 322, which also apply to members appointed to the Committee on Safety of Medicines for the day.

All members of the committee, including those appointed for the day, may be liable in law if incorrect advice is given.

Mr. Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Health from what date Professor Klim McPherson was appointed as a member of the pharmacovigilance sub-committee of the Committee on Safety of Medicines. [26249]

Mr. Malone

From 1 January 1996.

Mr. Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 7 March,Official Report, column 322, if the experts on the Committee on Safety of Medicines who assessed the tables provided by Professor Spitzer on 9 October 1995 recognised arithmetical errors in those tables; and if they asked Professor Spitzer for clarification of the results of the transnational study. [26572]

Mr. Malone

The proceedings of meetings of the Committee are confidential.