HC Deb 24 July 1973 vol 860 cc548-9W
Mr. Pavitt

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many licences of right for the production of new medicines were given in the last three months before the date upon which this right expired.

Sir K. Joseph

During the three months preceding the closing date—1st July 1972—applications were received for product licences of right in respect of some 52,000 medicinal products for human use. To qualify for the grant of a licence of right the products must have been on the market before 1st September 1971. None of them were, therefore, new medicines at the time of application. The records of applications do not make it possible to distinguish by reference to the original date of marketing.