§ 97 and 99. Mr. Swinglerasked the Minister of Health (1) to what extent clinical experiments are being carried out in hospitals under the Regional Hospital Boards; and what regulations govern the conditions of such experiments; and
(2) on whose authority, and under what circumstances, clinical experiments on infants in hospital, such as that to which his attention has been drawn, are permitted to be carried out.
§ Miss Hornsby-SmithHospital authorities are given power to conduct research by Section 16 of the National Health Service Act, 1946. Individual clinical investigations are undertaken on the authority of the clinician in charge of the case, and my right hon. Friend had not complete knowledge of the extent of all the work in progress at hospitals. Such investigations involve medical and ethical problems which are not susceptible of control by regulations.