§ Mr. BreedTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what drugs were administered to servicemen during the Gulf War; what drugs have been(a) administered to date and (b) medically approved to be administered to servicemen serving in Iraq at a future date; and if he will make a statement. [86246]
§ Dr. Moonie[holding answer 10 December 2002]: No decisions have yet been made concerning military action against Iraq.
Service personnel are given drugs appropriate to any medical or dental conditions they may experience whether at home or on deployment. In addition, regular and volunteer reserve forces personnel are offered a range of routine vaccinations as part of an established immunisation programme. Personnel deploying to areas with a specific health hazard, and those in special occupational risk groups, such as medical personnel, may be given additional vaccinations. Drugs or vaccinations may also be provided to help protect service personnel against the effects of chemical and biological weapons.
Drugs and medicines given to armed forces personnel by medical staff are normally those approved by the Medicines Control Agency (MCA). As is the case in the NHS, drugs and medicines that are not licensed in the United Kingdom by the MCA may be used if prescribed and administered by a doctor.