§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to ensure that drug treatments for patients with mental health illnesses are prescribed at the correct dosage; and what measures are taken to monitor patients for harmful side effects. [178145]
§ Ms Rosie Winterton[holding answer 15 June 2004]: The safety of all medicines in clinical practice is continually monitored by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM). Health professionals are asked to report any suspected side 1005W effects to the MHRA/CSM through the Yellow Card scheme. When a new side effect for a medicine is identified, action is taken to inform prescribers and to minimise the risk to patients.
Where specific monitoring of patients is required to ensure safe use of a medicine, this is referred to in the product information for prescribers (the summary of product characteristics) and in the patient information leaflet.