§ Mr. HainTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) on what date the revised medicines advice leaflet, "MAL 8" draft 3, dated 30 October, was forwarded to(a) the British Herbal Medicine Association and (b) the Society for the Promotion of Nutritional Therapy; and if he will make a statement on the treatment of these organisations in respect of his policy regarding consultation with the Society for the Promotion of Nutritional Therapy;[4114]
(2) if he will list all those organisations which have so far been consulted about the medicines advice leaflet, "MAL 8", draft 3, dated 30 October; and if he will list the dates of meetings which officials of his Department have had with each of those organisations. [4115]
§ Mr. MaloneThe Medicines Control Agency—MCA—has discussed the contents of Leaflet MAL 8 with the Aromatherapy Trades Council—ATC—the British Herbal Manufacturers' Association—BHMA—the Cosmetic Toiletry and Perfumery Association—CTPA—the Council for Responsible Nutrition—CRN—the Health Food Manufacturers' Association—HFMA—the Natural Medicines Association UK Ltd.—NMA—and the Proprietary Association of Great Britain—PAGB.
224WThe MCA met the ATC, BHMA, CTPA, HFMA, NMA and PAGB on 6 September and again, with the exception of the CTPA, on 19 September. The agency met the CRN on 5 October, and the HFMA for a third time on 21 November.
"MAL 8" provides non-statutory guidance to industry and trade associations on whether a product is medicinal. The draft of "MAL 8" dated 30 October was sent on 6 November to the BHMA and other manufacturers' trade associations. It was not sent to the Society for the Promotion of Nutritional Therapy—SPNT—or to other non-manufacturing bodies. The SPNT is amongst those organisations which would be consulted by the MCA on statutory issues.