Bernard Allen
Question:94 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of medicinal products for human use recalled in each of the years 1988, 1998, 1999 and 2000. [27361/01]
Written Answers. - Medicinal Products.
The Irish Medicines Board has advised that figures for recalls of medicinal products for human use during the four years in question are as follows: 1988–4; 1998–39; 1999–39; 2000–46.
The above figures include recalls of products or individual batches from the Irish market and recalls from other markets of products manufactured in Ireland. The majority of the products recalled in any one year of these four years were products manufactured outside Ireland.
Bernard Allen
Question:95 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will make a statement on the 155 cases initiated by the Irish Medicines Board's new enforcement officer between his appointment in March 2000 and the end of 2000. [27362/01]
In 2000 I made the resources available to the Irish Medicines Board to establish an enforcement capability to ensure that medicinal products legislation was being adhered to and to investigate suspected breaches of such legislation. During the period from March to December 2000 a total of 155 enforcement cases were initiated. Some 52% of all cases investigated involved the sale of prescription only medicinal products and involved both the supply of licensed products normally available by prescription and products manufactured without any authorisation. Other categories investigated included availability of medicinal products by mail order, unauthorised wholesale supply of medicinal products, breaches of the advertising regulations and the marketing of certain categories of slimming products. The Irish Medicines Board will continue to be proactive in safeguarding the public health interest and in investigating breaches of medicines legislation.