HC Deb 03 March 1988 vol 128 cc694-5W
Mr. Wareing

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the names of the members of the Committee on Safety of Medicines, giving the professional and business background of each member.

Mr. Newton

The names of members of the committee, their professional qualifications and the employment positions they currently hold are as followsProfessor A. W. Asscher, BSc, MD, FRCP (Chairman), Dean, St. George's Hospital Medical School. Dr. G. Booth, B. Pharm, PhD, FPS, MCPP, Senior Lecturer in Pharmacy Practice, University of Bradford and ex-President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain. Professor A. M. Breckenridge, MD, MSC, FRCP, Professor of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Liverpool. Professor J. G. Collee, MD, FRCP, FRCPath, Professor of Bacteriology, University of Edinburgh. Professor P. H. Elworthy, B Pharm, PhD, DSc, MSC, CChem, MRSC, FPS, MCPP, Emeritus, Professor of Pharmacy, University of Manchester, Visiting Professor in Pharmaceutics at King's College, London and School of Pharmacy, London. Professor A. T. Florence, PhD, DSc, CChem, FRSC, MPS, MCPP, Professor of Pharmaceutics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. Professor M. W. Greaves, MD. PhD, FRCP, Professor of Clinical Dermatology, University of London. Professor H. S. Jacobs, BA, MD, FRCP, Professor of Reproductive Endocrinology, Middlesex Hospital Medical School, London. Dr. W. A. Jerrett, MB, BCh, FRCGP, General Practitioner, Glamorgan. Professor M. J. S. Langman, BSc, MD, MBBS, FRCP, Professor of Internal Medicine, University of Birmingham. Professor D. H. Lawson, MD, MB, ChB, FRCP(Ed), Consultant Physician in Clinical Pharmacology, Glasgow. Mr. F. E. Loeffler, FRCS, FRCOG, Gynaecologist, London. Professor J. O'D McGee, MD, PhD, FRCPath, MA, Professor of Morbid Anatomy, Oxford. Professor A. E. M. McLean, BM, PhD, FRCPath, Professor of Toxicology, University College Hospital, London. Dr. Elizabeth Mayne, MB, BCh, BAO, MRCP, FRCPath, Department of Haematology, University of Belfast. Professor S. R. Meadow, MA, FRCP, DCh, Professor of Paediatrics and Child Health, Leeds University. Professor S. A. Montgomery, MD, BSc, MB, BS, FRCPsych, DPM Eng, Professor of Psychiatry, St. Mary's Medical School, London. Professor G. Nuki, MB, BS, FRCP(Ed), FRCP(Lond), MRCS, Professor of Rheumatology, University of Edinburgh. Dr. B. L. Pentecost. MD, FRCP. Consultant Physician, Birmingham. Professor M. D. Rawlins, MD, FRCP, BSc, Professor of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Professor M. P. Vessey, MB, MD, FFCM, Professor of Social and Community Medicine, University of Oxford.

Mr. Wareing

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what guidelines he lays down for the working of the Committee on Safety of Medicines.

Mr. Newton

The Committee on Safety of Medicines works within the statutory framework set out in the Medicines (Committee on Safety of Medicines) Order 1970 (SI 1970, No. 1257), made under section 4 of the Medicines Act 1968. The committee's statutory purposes are giving advice with respect to safety, quality and efficacy, in relation to human use, of any substance or article (not being an instrument, apparatus or appliance) to which any provision of that Act is applicable; and to promoting the collection and investigation of information relating to adverse reactions, for the purpose of enabling such advice to be given.

Under paragraph 4 of schedule 1 to the Medicines Act 1968, the committee has power to regulate its own procedure. Committee members are appointed for their medical, scientific and pharmaceutical experience and expertise. Guidelines on safety, quality and efficacy are published by the United Kingdom licensing authority and the European Community for use by applicants for product licences; the resulting applications may be put to the committee for its advice. Members are bound both by section 118 of the 1968 Act, which broadly restricts the disclosures of information furnished to a person in pursuance of the Act, and also by the law on confidentiality. Members are required to follow guidelines on declaration of interests as such interests may preclude members from participating in committee proceedings in relation to a particular product.

Millions
Number of prescriptions 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986
All benzodiazepines 30.6 30.7 29.1 29.5 29.7 28.7 28.0 25.7 25.3
Lorazepam 1.8 2.1 2.4 2.9 3.5 3.5 3.2 3.1 3.1

The figures for 1987 are not yet available. Figures in this format for England alone are not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Figures for hospital and community health services are not collected centrally. Figures are based on a sample of prescriptions of approximately 1 in 200 in England and Wales and 1 in 100 in Scotland.

Mr. Wareing

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many yellow card reports of suspected adverse reactions to medicines were submitted to the Committee on Safety of Medicines in each of the years 1978 to 1987 inclusive; and how many in each of these years were in respect of(a) benzodiazepines in general and (b) lorazepam in particular.

Mr. Newton

The table gives the figures requested. Reports of suspected adverse drug reactions do not necessarily imply a causal relationship.