§ Mr. Gareth Wardellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Gower on 13 February, Official Report, columns 215–16, if he will publish in the Official Report for each of the past five years those drugs which the World Health Organisation has informed his Department of major changes to warnings in their use, distinguishing between (a) where no changes to the United Kingdom data sheets have resulted and (b) where changes to the United Kingdom data sheets have resulted;
(2) pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Gower on 13 February, Official Report, columns 215–16, if he will publish in the Official Report a list of drugs that are currently being considered by the licensing authority following information received by his Department from the World Health Organisation of major changes to warnings in their use.
§ Mr. Kenneth Clarke[pursuant to his reply, 25 February 1985 c.67–68]: The information relating to notification of changes by the World Health Organisation over the past five years is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, we believe that few if any changes to United Kingdom data sheets have needed to be made as a result of receiving such information. There are no medicines currently being considered by the licensing authority as a result of such a notification.
§ Mr. Gareth Wardellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Gower on 13 February, Official Report, columns 215–16, if he will arrange for his Department to collect records of variations between United Kingdom data sheets and broadly similar documents in other countries.
§ Mr. Kenneth Clarke[pursuant to his reply, 25 February 1985, c. 67–68]: No. Major items of information are always available through the World Health Organisation and other international sources. It would not be cost-effective to collect and examine all records of variations on a worldwide basis, country by country, since the size of the task would be enormous and out of proportion to any possible benefits for the use of medicines in the United Kingdom.