§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of those members of Government committees who still retain consultancies within the pharmaceutical industry, committees on which they serve and the drug companies in which the consultancies are held; and if he will make a statement on his policy concerning future appointments under the Medicines Act.
§ Mr. Crossman:Information relating to all advisory committees is not readily available; but I assume that my hon. Friend has in mind primarily committees which are concerned with the safety and efficacy of drugs. As regards the Committee on Safety of Drugs, the position is that when the initial appointments were made members from industry were excluded; and in connection with subsequent appointments the convention has been that any pharmaceutical consultancies should be given up. This convention has not been applied in the case of the Medicines Commission, which is required by statute to contain at least one member with recent experience of the pharmaceutical industry; but in connection with the committee which is being set up under Section 4 of the Medicines Act, 1968, to succeed the Committee on Safety of Drugs, it is proposed that initially members should be asked to surrender any pharmaceutical consultancies they may hold. General policy on this matter in relation to future appointments to this and other committees set up under the Medicines Act is being further considered.