Medicines and Medical Devices Bill

Lord Russell of Liverpool Excerpts

Committee stage & Committee: 2nd sitting (Hansard) & Committee: 2nd sitting (Hansard): House of Lords
Monday 26th October 2020 Grand Committee

In that regard, could the Minister explain where the anxiety is in terms of giving safety a priority above the other two important elements, which are availability and attractiveness? Is it because clinical trials methodology—[Inaudible.]

[The Deputy Chairman of Committees (Lord Russell of Liverpool) (CB)]

We seem to have lost the noble Lord, Lord Kakkar.

[Lord Kakkar (CB) [V]]

Or is it that in some way—

[The Deputy Chairman of Committees (Lord Russell of Liverpool) (CB)]

Lord Kakkar, please keep going. We lost you for a minute.

[Lord Kakkar (CB) [V]]

Is the Minister able to indicate why there might be anxiety about giving priority to safety? Is it because methodology by way of clinical trials evaluation is not sufficiently well developed to make that a statutory principle for the availability of medicinal products or medical devices? Is it that there might be some basis for legal challenge that would make this ill-advised? If not, it appears that putting safety at the forefront is in the interests of patients, our healthcare system, clinicians and the standing of our country as a place to lead in the development of the life sciences.