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CABINET OFFICE
Ministerial E-mail Address
Mr. Brake: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what is his e-mail address. [62563]
Dr. Jack Cunningham: My e-mail address is jcunningham@cabinet-office.gov.uk.
HEALTH
Adverse Drug Reactions
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research has been (a) conducted and (b) commissioned by his Department into the children in respect of whom yellow cards have been issued. [61621]
Ms Jowell: The Medicines Control Agency is funding, jointly with the National Health Service, Executive Trent, a pilot project for the reporting of suspected adverse drug reactions in children, entailing the establishment of a research unit at Derbyshire Children's Hospital run by Professor Imti Choonara of the University of Nottingham. The objectives of the project are to stimulate reporting of suspected adverse drug reactions occurring in children in the Trent region to the Medicines Control Agency and Committee on Safety of Medicines, to identify and investigate possible signals of new adverse drug reactions occurring in children and to determine the value of extending the scheme to other regions or nationally. The centre commenced work in September 1998 and will report on its progress in mid-1999.
The current processes undertaken by the Medicines Control Agency for the evaluation of reports on yellow cards involve the identification and investigation of patterns suggesting new safety concerns, so that suitable steps can be taken to make sure that medicines are used as safely as possible.
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department issues to GPs on informing people of potential side-effects of the use of MR or MMR vaccinations. [61610]
3 Dec 1998 : Column: 256
Ms Jowell:
A doctor must decide what information to pass on to a patient about the possible adverse reactions to any drug, including vaccines, and we would expect them to pass on all the relevant information to each patient. Full details of the contraindications to vaccination and the adverse reactions associated with measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine are set out in the United Kingdom Health Departments' memorandum "Immunisation against Infectious Disease" which is issued to doctors. The chapter on MMR states:
Measles/rubella (MR) vaccine was used during the 1994 immunisation campaign. During the campaign all parents received an information leaflet/consent form and parents who were worried were advised to talk to their family doctor or school nurse. A letter from the Chief Medical and Nursing Officers, information and question and answer sheets were issued to all doctors and nurses either involved in giving the vaccine or in giving information on the campaign.
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department has issued to GPs on conducting follow-up inquiries after the reporting of adverse health reactions on a yellow card. [61611]
Ms Jowell:
On receipt of a yellow card, the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) sends out a letter to each reporter which reminds them to forward any further relevant information when available. Each yellow card report of a suspected adverse drug reaction is evaluated by the MCA. Where the information provided on a report is insufficient, the reporter is contacted for further details.
3 Dec 1998 : Column: 257
Reporters can at the time of reporting request an overview of the adverse reactions already reported in association with the suspect drug and this may stimulate the doctor to provide further information.
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ensure that doctors are obliged to detail in writing the potential adverse consequences and dangers arising from a cosmetic surgical procedure. [61816]
Mr. Hutton:
In obtaining consent to any surgical procedure medical practitioners must ensure that patients receive sufficient information presented in a form that they can understand about the intended procedure, the alternatives and any substantial risks.
Mr. Lock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to publish the report following the review by Professor Sheila McLean of the consent provisions in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990. [62588]
Ms Jowell:
I am pleased to announce that the Report of the Review of the common law provisions relating to the removal of human gametes (sperm or eggs) and of the consent provisions in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 has been published today. Copies have been placed in the Library. The review, announced in February 1997, was conducted by Sheila McLean, Professor of Law and Ethics in Medicine at the University of Glasgow, and followed the Court of Appeal judgment in the case of R v. Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority ex parte Diane Blood.
In September 1997 Professor McLean conducted a public consultation on the issues raised in the course of her review. Over 600 copies of her discussion document were issued, with 116 responses being received. We welcome Professor McLean's Report which, following a thorough and comprehensive review of the complex issues involved, has delivered sensible and well argued recommendations. These include:
Following Mrs. Blood's case, there was considerable public and parliamentary interest in such issues and in particular as to whether the existing provisions in the common law and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology
3 Dec 1998 : Column: 258
Act 1990 reflected clinical and lay opinion. We have decided, therefore, to seek public and professional views on the recommendations. These will be requested by the end of April, when we will consider the best way of taking the recommendations forward.
We are very grateful to Professor Sheila McLean for having produced such a carefully considered Report.
Mr. Hesford:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will lay a revised version of the Code of Practice on the Mental Health Act 1983 before the House. [62773]
Mr. Hutton:
We have today laid copies of a revised version of the Code of Practice on the Mental Health Act 1983 before the House, in accordance with Section 118(4) of the Act. Copies are available in the Library.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 27 November 1998, Official Report, column 26, concerning services for people with brain injuries, when the draft guidance will be ready for consultation. [62200]
Mr. Hutton:
The draft guidance should be ready for consultation by the summer of 1999.
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much, in each of the last three years, Wellhouse NHS trust (a) recovered from insurance companies for the cost of treatment and (b) spent on treating road accident victims. [62288]
Mr. Hutton:
Information on the cost of treating road accident victims at the Wellhouse National Health Service Trust is not available. The trust received the following income under the provisions of sections 157 and 158 of the Road Traffic Act 1988:
In addition, the Health Education Authority (HEA) produces a range of leaflets on immunisation, which give information on possible side effects. Details of possible adverse reactions to MMR vaccine are included in the leaflet "A Guide to Childhood Immunisations", which is given to new parents, and in the leaflet "Immunisation for School Leavers". The HEA also produces a range of factsheets, including two on MMR, to assist healthcare professionals in responding to more detailed queries from parents.
"Parents should be told about possible symptoms after immunisation".
in terms of the common law provisions relating to the removal of human gametes the report recommends that the current requirement for formal consent following adequate disclosure of information, should remain;
the courts should be asked to determine whether the removal of gametes is lawful where there is any doubt about such removal in cases where consent cannot be given in the usual way;
the requirement in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 for consent to certain treatment provided under the Act (such as in-vitro fertilisation and donor insemination) to be given in writing should remain, and be extended to all treatment provided under the Act; and
that the 1990 Act should be amended to remove from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority any discretion to permit the export of human gametes that have been removed unlawfully.
recommendations about the status of children born after the death of the gamete provider and the need for gamete providers to take account of succession rights of such children when storing gametes.
| Year | Income (£000) |
|---|---|
| 1995-96 | 52 |
| 1996-97 | 45 |
| 1997-98 | 30 |
Source:
1. Annual summarisation schedules 1997-98
2. Annual financial returns 1995-96 and 1996-97
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