Written question asked by Andrew Love (Labour) on Thursday, 21 December 2000, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 11 January 2001. It was answered by Baroness Stuart of Edgbaston (Labour) on Thursday, 11 January 2001 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps NICE is taking to monitor (a) the use of and (b) adverse reactions to Ritalin in children; and if he will make a statement.

Answer: Mr. Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps NICE is taking to monitor (a) the use of and (b) adverse reactions to Ritalin in children; and if he will make a statement. [144486] Ms Stuart: The National Institute of Clinical Excellence does not itself monitor the use of and adverse reactions to particular medicines. Monitoring the use of medicines is a matter for local clinical governance arrangements. The monitoring of adverse reactions is carried out by the Committee on Safety of Medicines/ Medicines Control Agency (CSM/MCA). Health professionals are encouraged to submit voluntarily to the CSM/MCA reports of suspected adverse drug reactions via the yellow card scheme. These reports, together with data from other sources, are continuously reviewed to identify previously unrecognised hazards or new information on known hazards which might require regulatory action.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 360 c594W;360 c596W; 144486
Session: 2000-01
Subjects: Children Drugs Prescription drugs National Institute for Clinical Excellence Methylphenidate
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk