Some of the information which cannot be obtained, because of section 118 of the Medicines Act, includes:
- an explanation of why the tranquilliser Halcion was suspended at 24-hours notice in 1991, or why the Medicines Commission later disagreed with the Committee on Safety of Medicines, and recommended the lifting of the ban
"Section 118 of the Medicines Act 1968 restricts the disclosure of information regarding any alleged importation, sale or production of counterfeit medicines"
Virginia Bottomley, Secretary of State for Health, Hansard, 18 November 1991 col. 40
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- what safety tests were done before highly toxic organophosphorous sheep dips were licensed.
why a drug called Didronel is licensed for the treatment of a verterbral disorder in men and women of all ages when the published evidence suggests it has only been tested in post-menopausal women.
"Research data on the adverse effects of AZT submitted to the Medicines Control Agency in support of the product licence applications is confidential under section 118 of the Medicines Act 1968".
Dr Brian Mawhinney, Health Minister, Hansard 11 May 1993, col. 385
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- why the anti-depressant 'Prozac' is licensed in the UK at doses of 20 milligrammes (mg) when research has shown that some patients need only 5 mg. Both Norway and Sweden have refused to licence Prozac because it is not sold in smaller doses.
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