§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the estimated proportion of adverse reactions that are reported through the yellow card system.
§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomley[holding answer 14 December 1989]: Doctors are asked to report all suspected adverse reactions to new drugs but only serious reactions to established drugs. Exact reporting rates are not known but a number of studies and questionnaires have indicated that they rarely exceed 10 to 15 per cent.