Sub-Standard Drugs

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30827, 12 August 1965, Page 3

Sub-Standard Drugs

(Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, August 11. The statement that about £1 million a year from Social Security funds was spent on sub-standard drugs was not contained in the National Research Advisory Council’s report, the Minister of Social Security (Mr McKay) said in Parliament today.

He was replying to Mr B.; P. MacDonell (Opp., Dunedin Central) who asked whether, in view of the fact that the accuracy of the statement had been denied by the Ethical Pharmaceutical Association, he would confirm or deny the veracity of the report. Mr McKay said the statement appeared in an appendix which set out summaries byworking parties set up by the council, and was introduced by a statement that “the council is not in a position to I give a firm view on the opin-

ions expressed in the summaries.” The working party’s opinion on this particular matter stated to be drawn “from limited information” of what drug! sampling had been done in New Zealand, had not been sufficiently large or representative to justify an assertion that one-eighth of the drugs provided under Social Security pharmaceutical benefits were sub-standard. Whether there was reason for the published assertion was, itself, a [ matter of opinion, said Mr I McKay.