§ Mr. Ken HargreavesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of drug reaction were reported in each year of operation of the yellow card reporting system; what percentage of the cases reported each year were steroid related; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe number of reports received in each year were:
677W
Year Reports 1964 1,414 1965 3,987 1966 2,600 1967 3,500 1968 3,466 1969 4,463 1970 3,601 1971 2,837 1972 3,638 1973 3,619 1974 4,818 1975 5,052 1976 6,490 1977 11,255 1978 11,873 1979 10,840 1980 10,179 1981 13,032 1982 10,922 1983 12,689 1984 12,163 1985 12,652 1986 15,527 1987 16,431 1988 19,022 1989 19,246 Information on the numbers of these reports which are steroid related is not readily available; to prepare percentage figures per year for such reports would incur disproportionate costs.
Adverse reactions to medicinal products are reported to the CSM on a voluntary basis by doctors and dentists under the yellow card scheme and there is a statutory requirement for pharmaceutical companies to submit reports. The more reports received the better the system works. We have encouraged reporting in a number of ways over the years.