§ Sir David KnoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Health by what date the Medicines for Human Use (Marketing, Pharmacovigilance and Related Matters) Regulations Order originally was expected to be(a) laid and (b) passed by the House; and when she now expects these events to occur.
§ Mr. SackvilleThese regulations are due to come into force on 1 January 1995. We expect to lay them before the House shortly.
§ Sir David KnoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement indicating precisely the definition of the term "industrially produced" which she intends to adopt in connection with the Medicines for Human Use (Marketing, Pharmacovigilance and Related Matters) Regulations; and how this definition differs from other definitions of the term in European directives and domestic legislation.
§ Mr. SackvilleThe term "industrially produced" is not defined in pharmaceutical legislation. We are satisfied that herbal medicines currently exempt from product licensing requirements fall outside the meaning of "industrially produced" as they are made by traditional processes or supplied on a small scale, and this will be reflected in the new regulations.
§ Sir David KnoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to ensure that all organisations representing practitioners of alternative and complementary medicines are in future properly consulted about proposed regulations affecting them and their clients; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. SackvilleOur aim is to consult, wherever practicable organisations representing interests likely to be substantially affected by proposed regulations.