Written question asked by Lord Grayling (Conservative) on Thursday, 23 January 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 6 February 2003. It was answered by Hazel Blears (Labour) on Thursday, 6 February 2003 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will place in the Library (a) submissions to, (b) briefing documents used by and (c) risk analysis carried out by the MCA in its consideration of Zyban in the last two years. (Summary in Library Dep 03/439).

Answer: Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library (a) submissions to, (b) briefing documents used by and (c) risk analysis carried out by the MCA in its consideration of Zyban in the last two years. [93784] Ms Blears: I am arranging for the risk analysis carried out by the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) in its consideration of Zyban (bupropion hydrochloride) in the last two years to be placed in the Library by 10 February 2003. This comprises papers considered by the Committee on Safety of Medicines and minutes of the meetings held on 22 February 2001, 24 May 2001, 12 December 2001 and 26 June 2002, the Committee for Proprietary Medicinal Products Opinin following the Europe-wide review of the risk and benefits of bupropion hydrochloride and a summary of all reports of suspected adverse drug reactions received through the Yellow Card Scheme. These documents encompass all relevant material submitted to the MCA in relation to the risks and benefits of Zyban. Some of the papers considered by the advisory committees have been anonymised under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information under exemptions 13, 14 or 15 of the code.

Secondary information