§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what administrative action he proposes to take in regard to the issue of L-Dopa before it has been passed by the Committee for Safety of Drugs.
§ Mr. CrossmanMy Department issued a public statement on 29th January strongly advising against the use of preparations of L-Dopa which have not been approved by the Committee on Safety of Drugs. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy.
The statement points out that the committee has now cleared two more preparations of L-Dopa for clinical studies and that significant additional supplies of approved material should be 198W available soon to hospitals willing to monitor its use and provide information to the manufacturers and the committee.
§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce legislation to make it compulsory for all drugs to be passed by the Scowen Committee before being available for prescription within the National Health Service.
§ Mr. CrossmanThe Medicines Act, 1968 already provides for a compulsory licensing system in relation to all medicinal products. I hope it will be possible to bring these provisions into effect in 1971.