§ Sir J. Arbuthnotasked the Minister of Health, in each of the five patented drugs being imported under the new National Health Service hospital contracts, what stages of the total manufacturing and packaging operation, from production of the basic material to the packaging of the drugs in their finished form, are carried out abroad, and what stages in this country; what inspections have been made of the facilities of each of the manufacturing and packaging concerns involved, both in this country and abroad, by officials of his department; and what approvals have been given.
§ Mr. BraineThe basic ingredients of all five drugs are manufactured abroad. Tablets and capsules of tetracycline, oxytetracycline and chloramphenicol are made abroad and those of chloretetracycline and chlorothiazide in the United Kingdom.
Some packaging is carried out abroad and some in the United Kingdom.
All processes whether abroad or in the United Kingdom have been inspected and approved on behalf of my right hon. Friend.