Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy raises an issue about a drug that women have been prescribed during pregnancy. As she said, this is not the first time issues have arisen about drugs prescribed during pregnancy which potentially have extremely adverse effects. We have seen this happen in the case of thalidomide and numerous other drugs and women have had to fight quite hard to prove the consequences of the use of such drugs. I am not familiar with the details of the particular drug, but the Minister for Health is informed on issues such as this by the Chief Medical Officer, CMO and the Health Products Regulatory Authority, HPRA, which regulates the use of medicines and drugs. Obviously, there are always clinical decisions involved in the use of a particular drug or prescription. The Minister has heard what the Deputy said and I have no doubt that he will seek a report from the CMO and the HPRA on the particular drug and revert to the Deputy with the details of the information available at this point. The Deputy has said that up to 400 children have been impacted on. If there is information to that effect - I take the Deputy's word for it - clearly it is an issue that needs to be addressed. Further information must be obtained and the clinical position in terms of prescriptions and their impact and so on will have to be examined. I am not in a position to give the Deputy a detailed answer on the drug today, but the Minister will get the information and revert to the Deputy on it.

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