Written question asked by Margaret Ewing (Scottish National Party) on Friday, 2 February 2001, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 20 March 2001. It was answered by Yvette Cooper (Labour) on Tuesday, 20 March 2001 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 22nd January, Official Report, 361 c430W, on MMR vaccine, which measles and mumps vaccines meet the specifications of the extant licences for those vaccines; and under what circumstances those vaccines can be imported.

Answer: Mrs. Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 22 January 2001, Official Report, column 430W, on MMR vaccine, which measles and mumps vaccines meet the specifications of the extant licences for those vaccines; and under what circumstances those vaccines can be imported. [149362] Yvette Cooper: None of the single measles and mumps vaccines licensed in the United Kingdom is manufactured for, or marketed in the UK, and the licence holders advise that the products they manufacture outside the UK for other countries do not fully comply with their UK licences. None of the single measles and mumps vaccines imported into the UK are licensed for use in the UK, or in full compliance with an extant UK product licence. Consequently, as unlicensed vaccines, they may only be imported and supplied to fulfil special needs, in response to the prescription of a doctor, and for use by his/her individual patients on his/her direct personal responsibility.

Secondary information