§ Mr. DalyellTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what analysis is being made in the knowledge of or by his Department into the quality and chemical composition of batches of medicines imported from(a) eastern Europe, (b) Greece and (c) Belgium; and what study is being considered of the effects of medicines imported from eastern Europe into the United Kingdom.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe Medicines Control Agency, which is part of the Department of Health, operates a medicines testing scheme which analytically monitors the quality and chemical composition of a statistically significant sample of medicinal products marketed in the United Kingdom.
The medicines testing scheme includes imported medicines from Belgium, Greece and eastern Europe. During the period April 1990 to March 1991, 45 medicinal products imported from Belgium and 12 medicinal products sourced from Greece were examined. No products from eastern Europe were analysed in this period.