§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the change in the rate of reporting by general practitioners via the yellow card system since 1 October 1995. [20065]
§ Mr. MaloneSuspected adverse drug reaction reports are received through the yellow card scheme from general practitioners, hospital doctors, dentists and coroners directly and via pharmaceutical companies. Between 1 October 1995 and 29 February 1996, 4,546 reports of suspected adverse drug reactions were received from general practitioners compared with 4,866 reports over the same period in 1994–95. The difference in number of reports is a consequence of the major campaign to immunise children with measles-rubella vaccine which was carried out in November 1994.
§ Mr. TouhigTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the proportion of drugs issued on prescription by general practitioners to which patients have an adverse reaction. [20886]
§ Mr. MaloneThe Medicines Control Agency receives reports of suspected adverse reactions to licensed medicinal products via the yellow card scheme. A report of a suspected reaction does not necessarily mean that it was caused by the medicine. As the scheme is voluntary, not all adverse reactions are reported. Therefore an estimate of the proportion of drugs issued on prescription by general practitioners to which patients have an adverse reaction can not be made from the available data.