§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give details of the research studies supported by his Department since 1965 into congenital defects due to the taking of drugs by pregnant mothers.
§ Mr. MoyleMy Department has in recent years supported a number of studies into congenital defects but it would be difficult at this time to identify which of those considered the question of drugs taken during pregnancy as their main field of interest. Since 1974 financial support has been provided for a congenital malformations registry under Professor Harris at the department of child health, University of Liverpool. Its object is to record the occurrence of all congenital malformations in Liverpool and Bootle as well as relevant information such as drugs prescribed during pregnancy.
In addition, the Committee on Safety of Medicines undertook its own study into maternal drug histories and congenital abnormalities, the results of which were published in the British Medical Journal on 1st October 1977. I am sending my hon. Friend a reprint of the article.