HC Deb 20 October 1976 vol 917 cc484-5W
Mr. Tierney

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many cases there currently are of sclerosing peritonitis, eye disease and skin disease caused by the use of the drug Eraldin.

Mr. Moyle

By 15th September 1976 the Committee on Safety of Medicines had received approximately 1,000 reports of patients who had developed suspected adverse reactions associated with the use of Eraldin (practolol). 64 had sclerosing peritonitis, 510 had eye reactions and 670 had skin reactions. In many cases patients had experienced more than one of these effects. The skin and eye reactions are of a type which can occur spontaneously, and it is by no means certain that all the reported cases were the result of treatment with practolol.

Mr. Tierney

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set up inquiry to determine the number of people who are now suffering from side effect diseases caused by the use of the drug Eraldin.

Mr. Moyle

I share the concern of my hon. Friend about the side effects associated with this drug, but I do not consider that an inquiry of the kind proposed would help the patients concerned. The Medicines Commission and the Committee on Safety of Medicines are looking into a number of issues relating to the use of drugs such as Eraldin.

Mr. Tierney

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received about the prescribing, dispensing and use of the drug Eraldin since it was officially withdrawn in July 1975.

Mr. Moyle

In October 1975 Eraldin (practolol) was restricted to hospital use in the emergency treatment of certain organic heart diseases associated with abnormal heart rhythms. The only representation that I have received since that date is that from my hon. Friend on behalf of one of his constituents.

Mr. Tierney

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report details of the statement made by the Committee on Safety of Medicines which criticised general practitioners for not following official advice in taking warning action about the danger of the drug Eraldin.

Mr. Moyle

The statement to which I understand my hon. Friend refers has been published in paragraph 10 of the Committee on Safety of Medicines' Annual Report for 1975, a copy of which is in the Library.