Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 29 May 1990

Vol. 399 No. 3

Written Answers. - Drugs Testing.

Eamon Gilmore

Question:

145 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that animal experimentation has already been banned in the State of Bolzano in Italy because it has been proved to be scientifically fraudulent and given the large number of prescription drugs which are taken annually in this country, which may have been tested by these doubtful methods, if his Department has any figures for the number of Irish people who have been harmed as a direct result of taking such drugs.

Minister for Health (Dr. Rory O'Hanlon)

I am aware that legislation enacted in the Province of Bolzano in Italy in July 1986 prescribes that there may not be any animal experimentation in the province even for scientific reasons unless with very specific authorisation.

I am assured by the National Drugs Advisory Board that there are no drugs on the Irish market which have undergone testing at any research facility in Bolzano.