Written question asked by Paul Burstow (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 20 April 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 10 May 2004. It was answered by Baroness Winterton of Doncaster (Labour) on Monday, 10 May 2004 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many prosecutions against sellers of unlicensed medicines via the internet (a) have been undertaken, (b) have been successful and (c) are in preparation by (i) the Medicines Control Agency for each year between 1997 and 2003 and (ii) the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency in the last year. - Inc figures.

Answer: Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prosecutions against sellers of unlicensed medicines via the internet (a) have been undertaken, (b) have been successful and (c) are in preparation by (i) the Medicines Control Agency for each year between 1997 and 2003 and (ii) the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency in the last year. [167809] Ms Rosie Winterton: To date, there has been one successful prosecution, by the then Medicines Control Agency, relating to the sale of unlicensed medicines on the internet. This took place in 1999. No other such prosecutions have been brought. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency currently has two cases prepared for prosecution involving the sale of unlicensed medicines on the internet.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 421 c166W; 167809
Session: 2003-04
Subjects: Convictions Drugs Internet Prosecutions Sales Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency Medicines Control Agency
Contains statistics: Yes
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk