Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 7 Nov 2000

Vol. 525 No. 2

Written Answers. - Medicinal Products.

Bernard Allen

Question:

488 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has had investigations made into a situation where the sale of prescription drugs here is being made through a publication (details supplied) by a UK based mail order service. [24124/00]

Bernard Allen

Question:

489 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there is a serious breach of the Medicinal Products Regulations, 1996 by a UK based mail order service who are advertising the sale of Viagra to Irish patients by post through a publication (details supplied). [24125/00]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin):

I propose to take Questions Nos. 488 and 489 together.

I outlined the position in relation to the particular advertisement referred to in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 306, and replied to on Tuesday, 24 October 2000. I have since been informed by the Irish Medicines Board that the editor of the publication concerned has apologised for the breach of the regulations in pub lishing the advertisement, which had been accepted in error from a sister publication in the UK. The Irish Medicines Board has been assured that the law, and editorial policy not to publish advertisements for the sale of medicines by mail order, will be adhered to by the publishers in future. The Irish Medicines Board will continue to liaise with the UK Medicines Control Agency on matters of this nature.