§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the Committee on Safety of Medicines took any specific steps after the withdrawal of the arthritis drug Opren to investigate the safety of other arthritis drugs on the market at the time, in particular those with a similar composition and those largely prescribed for the elderly.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe class of drugs to which Opren belonged, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, has been kept under close review by the Committee on Safety of Medicines, because of the known safety problems. The committee has considered specifically the problems of the testing and prescribing of drugs for elderly patients including those used in the treatment of arthritis.
436WThe committee has indicated that with effect from 1 January 1985 data on the effects of a new drug in the elderly must, in specified circumstances, be provided by the pharmaceutical company before a drug is licensed and that, as soon as possible, all product data sheets should carry specific advice to doctors for prescribing to the elderly.