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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 7 Nov 2000

Vol. 525 No. 2

Written Answers. - Medicinal Products.

Ruairí Quinn

Question:

112 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will ask the Irish Medicines Board to reconsider the ban on over the counter sale of St. Johns Wort, having regard to research reported in the British Medical Journal which found that as a remedy for depression it is as effective as conventional drugs and has fewer side effects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24550/00]

I have been advised by the Irish Medicines Board that it has already fully considered the report published in the British Medical Journal – 2 September 2000 – and that it is satisfied that the new information about the effectivenesss of St. John's Wort as an anti-depressant reinforces the recommendation of the board that medicinal products for the treatment of depression should be subject to prescription only control. The article does not suggest that medicinal products containing St. John's Wort should be available over the counter.

While the article reports that St. John's Wort has a low incidence of side effects, it has been pointed out that the particular study was conducted in a limited number of carefully selected patients, as is usual for all clinical trials. However, caution is expressed by the board that with general use the incidence of side effects may be higher, in particular because of the known potential of St. John's Wort to interact with a wide variety of commonly used medicines.

The Irish Medicines Board is the expert scientific body in this country in regard to the circumstances under which medicinal products may be placed on the market or supplied to the public. The board has advised my Department that the additional information provided by the British Medical Journal article does not provide any grounds for altering its original recommendation to confine medicinal products containing St. John's Wort to prescription only control, made with a view to protecting public health and ensuring their safe and appropriate use.

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