Written question asked by Paul Flynn (Labour) on Tuesday, 22 March 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 4 April 2005. It was answered by Baroness Winterton of Doncaster (Labour) on Monday, 4 April 2005 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to improve the systems for detecting adverse reactions to drugs.

Answer: Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to improve the systems for detecting adverse reactions to drugs. [223860] Ms Rosie Winterton: The United Kingdom has been working with other member states on the implementation of a European risk management strategy designed to strengthen drug safety monitoring by making best use of all available resource, both data and expertise. Changes proposed to legislation, which will come into force in November 2005, will further strengthen drug safety monitoring in requiring risk management plans at the time of licensing new medicines and in further strengthening the obligations on the industry to keep regulators informed of any issue that may impact on the safety of a marketed medicine.

Secondary information