MPs criticise medicines watchdog

Thursday, 26 June 2003 12:00 AM

MPs have attacked the Government's medicines watchdog for failing to do enough to protect patients.

The Commons public accounts committee has said the Medicines Control Agency's efforts to improve patient safety were lacklustre and accused the agency of failing to gather information on the side-effects of drugs and not doing enough to inform patients about the risks.

The Medicines Control Agency is responsible for regulating the safety, quality and effectiveness of medicine. It was recently merged with the Medical Devices Agency to form the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

Chairman of the public accounts committee Edward Leigh, said that it is 'simply unacceptable' that the agency's efforts to drive improvements in the protection of public health have been so lacklustre.

'The level of reporting by health professionals of adverse reactions to medicines is far too low and the leaflets and labels on medicines designed to provide patients and doctors with important information on potential risks are poor,' he explained.

A spokesman for the Department of Health said the new agency was stepping up its efforts to inform patients and doctors about the risks associated with certain medicines.

'A key priority for the new agency will be taking an early look at how to further improve communications to achieve this,' he stated.

The report follows an investigation by the National Audit Office earlier this year which found that the MCA is only told of one in four adverse drug reactions and failed to examine how effective its safety warnings were.

It also urged the agency to step up its efforts to tell doctors and patients about the possible side-effects of drugs.

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