Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has had recent discussions with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency on (a) its advice on prescribing and (b) the side effects of gabapentin.

Gabapentin is authorised for the treatment of some forms of epilepsy, as well as peripheral neuropathic pain. The product information for gabapentin, approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), provides information to support the prescribing of the medication including recommendations for dose, duration of use, as well as gradual reduction when stopping. The product information includes warnings about possible side effects.

The MHRA continuously monitors the safety of gabapentin and ensures the product information reflects what is known about the medicine and its side effects.