§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will ask the Committee on Safety of Medicines to assess the incidence and seriousness of photosensitivity as an adverse reaction to medical drugs.
§ Mr. Hayhoe[pursuant to his reply, 21 May 1986]: The committee continuously monitors all reports of suspected adverse drug reactions that are made to it, including reports of photosensitivity, and considers their incidence, 321W seriousness and implications in deciding whether any recommendations should be made to the licensing authority.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what research is being funded by his Department into ways of alleviating or curing photosensitivity resulting from an adverse reaction to medical drugs.
§ Mr. Hayhoe[pursuant to his reply, 21 May 1986]: The Department is not supporting any research in this field.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many adverse reaction reports there were in 1985 to the Committee on Safety of Medicines of a photosensitivity reaction to medical drugs; and which drugs were the most commonly involved.
§ Mr. Hayhoe[pursuant to his reply, 21 May 1986]: In 1985 the Committee on Safety of Medicines received 290 reports of photosensitivity, 19 of allergic photosensitivity and two of toxic photosensitivity as suspected adverse reactions to drugs. In some cases these reports made in 1985 relate to events occurring in earlier years. No deaths were reported. The most commonly involved drugs currently licensed were azapropazone, piroxicam and amiloride. The committee also continued to receive reports about benoxaprofen, relating to periods before August 1982 when the licence was suspended, and the product was later withdrawn from the market.
It is very important bear in mind, first, that a report does not necessarily indicate a causal relationship between a product and a reported reaction; and, second, that in considering reports account must be taken of various factors, including the extent and duration of use of the product.