§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether NHS patients who are to be treated using a drug in a manner which runs contrary to the advice of the manufacturer of that drug have a formal right to be informed of this fact.
§ Mr. SackvilleUnder the terms of the Medicines Act, if a doctor believes that an unlicensed drug, or the use of a licensed drug for an unlicensed indication or unlicensed route of administration, is the only one suitable for a patient, he or she may supply or administer the drug. It is for doctors to use their training, knowledge and experience to weigh carefully the likely benefits of a drug against the anticipated risks before choosing the most appropriate treatment for a particular patient. If a doctor wishes to use an unlicensed drug, or a licensed drug for an unlicensed route of administration or unlicensed indication, it is entirely his or her own responsibility and he or she will be answerable to the consequences. The patients charter emphasises the right of national health service patients to be given a clear explanation of any treatment proposed, including any risks and alternatives, before deciding whether to agree to the treatment. It remains for the doctor concerned, in the exercise of clinical judgment, to decide the precise information a patient should receive and the terms in which the warning of risks should be given.