§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many cases of deformed babies being born to women who took the drug Debendox during pregnancy have been reported to his Department since 1963; if he is satisfied that the numbers reported represent the actual total; and what steps he is taking to improve the reporting of adverse reactions to medical drugs.
§ Dr. VaughanI shall let the right hon. Gentleman have a reply as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if the Committee on Safety of Medicines has now made a study of information available in the United States of America about the drug Debendox; if so, what conclusions it has revealed about them; and, if not, why not;
(2) if the Committee on Safety of Medicines has yet begun its review of the safety of the drug Debendox; and what is his estimate of the length of time the review will take.
§ Dr. VaughanThe Committee on Safety of Medicines is to begin the review of its advice on Debendox at its meeting816W on 21 February. It is not possible at this time to say how long the review will take.