§ Mr. SpellarTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 2 December,Official Report, columns 706-7, what assessment she has made of the problems with standards in other countries, most recently Germany; and if she will now institute a ban on imports of blood and blood products from countries which use paid donors.
§ Mr. SackvilleUnder the Medicines Act 1968 every company which manufactures blood products for marketing in the United Kingdom is inspected and licensed and individual products are licensed for safety, quality and efficacy. Blood or plasma collected overseas for processing into blood products which are to be imported into the United Kingdom under United Kingdom product licence is subjected to the rigorous screening tests that are required by our licensing authority. Furthermore all plasma pools from which any blood product released in this country is produced are tested for viral markers by the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control. No blood is imported and in the light of these safeguards we do not propose to ban imports of blood products.
808W(2) what is the cost of a prescription to an old-age pensioner in each member country of the European Community.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThe latest available information is shown in the table.