Finian McGrath
Ceist:817 Mr. F. McGrath asked the Minister for Health and Children his views on whether there is merit in correspondence (details supplied) on cancer treatment. [19754/03]
Written Answers. - Cancer Treatment Services.
There are serious ethical and medical concerns about the provision of alternative medicines for patients suffering from serious conditions such as cancer, in cases where the treatment is not being carried out under the direction of a registered medical practitioner or in the absence of evidence in relation to the quality, safety and efficacy of the medicinal products concerned.
In order to gain the most from these types of medicinal products it is essential that they be controlled by an appropriate authority to ensure that, like all other medicinal products, they are of an appropriate quality and safe for the consumer to use. The interests of public health can best be realised when there is a formal mechanism for the assessment of these products and a subsequent means of monitoring their use in order to assure their continued safety in use.
The Irish Medicines Board is the statutory agency with responsibility for assessment of medicinal products and my Department is currently examining proposals from the IMB for the regulation of alternative and traditional medicinal products, the aim of which is to provide the consumer with an assurance that the traditional products which they buy are produced to an appropriate quality standard; safe under the recommended conditions of use; and can be expected to be effective in the context of their established tradition of use; and are appropriately labelled.