HC Deb 01 July 1977 vol 934 cc364-5W
Mr. Aitken

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any plans to restrict prescriptions for Lyndiol; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Moyle

The former Committee on Safety of Drugs issued a warning to doctors in 1969 stating that the incidence of thromboembolism was higher among women taking oral contraceptives containing larger doses of oestrogen—75 mcg or more daily—than among those taking preparations containing a smaller dose—50 mcg daily. It advised that, since there is no evidence that preparations containing 50 mcg of oestrogen were less effective than the higher dose preparations, oral contraceptives containing the smaller doses should normally be prescribed. Subsequently, oral contraceptives containing 20, 30 and 35 mcg of oestrogen have been marketed after licensing.

Last year the Committee on the Review of Medicines recommended that preparations containing more than 50 mcg of oestrogen should no longer be promoted for use as oral contraceptives. The manufacturers of the products concerned have since agreed to such a proposal and, in the case of Lyndiol 2.5, the manufacturer gave notice in March this year that manufacture of this tablet had ceased, the product was to be withdrawn from the

1976 1975 1974 1966 1956 1946
Dilke Memorial Hospital, Cinderford 105 127 148 314 254 236
Lydney and District Hospital 82 101 101 213 214 257

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