§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will prohibit the prescribing of naproxen within the National Health Service, in view of the evidence sent to him by the hon. Member for Brent, South.
§ Mr. MoyleThe safety of naproxen has been thoroughly examined on several occasions and I am at present advised that there is ample evidence for safety independent of the one study being discussed between the United States Food and Drugs Administration and the manufacturer. Naproxen was authorised for clinical trial in this country in 1971 and for marketing in 1973, on both occasions on the advice of the Committee on Safety of Medicines. It is included in the first category of drugs now being considered by the Committee on the Review of Medicines who take account of all available data and of clinical experience of the use of the drug with patients.
566Wof uncertain factors and no reliable estimate is possible.
There are, therefore, no present grounds for withdrawing the licences for products containing naproxen.