§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will list in the Official Report all the drugs which have been prescribed for hormone pregnancy tests in the last 10 years, together with the names of their manufacturers;
(2) which of the drugs used in hormone pregnancy tests have been withdrawn from the market; when they were withdrawn; and what official reason was given for their withdrawal;
(3) what consultations he has had with the Committee on Safety of Medicines about the use of hormone pregnancy test drugs; what advice he was given by the 275W committee; and what action he took in the light of that advice;
(4) if he has had discussions with foreign Governments on foreign manufactures about the use of hormone pregnancy test drugs both in Great Britain and abroad; and, if so, with whom he held these discussions;
(5) if, in the light of facts disclosed in his letters to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South, he will now hold an inquiry into the manufacture, testing and
Name Licence Holder Date product withdrawn from United Kingdom market Reason given for withdrawal Amenorone … Roussel Labs Ltd. May 1977 Discontinued for commercial reasons Amenorne Forte … Roussel Labs Ltd. May 1977 Discontinued for commercial reasons Disecron … British Schering Ltd. (never licensed under the Medicines Act) March 1969 Discontinued for commercial reasons Menstrogen … Organon Laboratories March 1975 Discontinued for commercial reasons Norlutin A … Parke-Davis and Company Ltd. 1975 Discontinued for commercial reasons Norone … Roussel Labs Ltd. (never licensed under the Medicines Act) January 1969 Discontinued for commercial reasons Orasecron … Nicholas Laboratories Ltd. June 1975 Discontinued for commercial reasons Paralut … Wallace Manufacture Chemists Ltd. Prior to 1971 Discontinued for commercial reasons Pregornot … Marshall's Pharmaceuticals Ltd. Not known Not known Secrodyl … Duncan Flockhart and Company Ltd. February 1975 Discontinued for commercial reasons Primodos … Parke-Davis and Company Ltd. January 1978 Discontinued for commercial reasons Norlestrin … Parke-Davis and Company Ltd. Remains available for various gynaecological uses including contraception Notes: (1) Not all the products carried indications for pregnancy testing. (2) Some indications for pregnancy testing were removed at a date earlier than withdrawal of the product. In 1975 the United Kingdom Health Ministers acting as the licensing authority were advised by the Committee on Safety of Medicines that measures should be taken to ensure that indications for pregnancy testing were no longer included in the licences for such products and to require the insertion in all promotional literature of a warning about the possible hazard in pregnancy. The licensing authority accepted and acted upon the committee's advice.
Adverse reaction warnings were issued by the committee to all doctors.
The Committee on Safety of Medicines has exchanged information on the use of hormonal pregnancy tests with the World Health Organisation and with other drug
276Wprescribing of hormone pregnancy test drugs.
§ Mr. MoyleNational Health Service prescription forms do not indicate the reason for the prescription, nor are they retained for more than about six months. I list below all drugs which, as far as is known, have been used or recommended for hormonal pregnancy testing in the last 10 years, together with the names of the licence holders and, where appropriate, the date and reason given for withdrawal.
regulatory authorities. I have looked carefully into this matter and I do not think that an inquiry would be helpful.