Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the Royal Colleges on the potential effect of the use of ibuprofen on the heart.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) continuously monitors the safety of all medicines on the market in the United Kingdom and seeks independent expert advice from the Commission on Human Medicines on important new safety issues. Ibuprofen belongs to the class of medicines called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Ibuprofen is a widely used and effective medicine for relief of mild to moderate pain including rheumatic and muscular pain and is available on prescription from a doctor and, at low doses, over the counter. It has been known for many years that NSAIDs are associated with a small increased risk of heart attacks or strokes, particularly when used at a high dose and for a long time. A Europe wide review which completed in 2015 concluded that high dose ibuprofen is associated with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke similar to some other NSAIDs, however there was no increased risk of these events seen with ibuprofen at the doses available over the counter.

The MHRA has widely communicated the information and advice to healthcare professionals on the risk of heart attack and stroke with NSAIDs in letters and bulletins, and other publications through liaison with the British National Formulary. In addition, product information (including patient information leaflets) supports informed decision-making in relation to the choice of painkiller.