Department of Health
MEDICINES CONTROL AGENCY
Market Towers 1 Nine Elms Lane London SW8 5NQ
Telephone 0171-273 0600
Facsimile 0171- 273 0737 .
16 October 1998

Dear Mr Medawar,

1. Thank you for returning my call about your outstanding correspondence, your subsequent fax of 12 October and also for your kind thoughts about Dr Wood.

2. As mentioned, I have been asked to take forward your letter of 30 September about SSRIs. I have registered this as a Code of Practice request but will first be looking to see if, as you suggest, there are other ways we might address your questions. I cannot rule out at this stage the possibility that we may ask you to pay for the information under the terms of the Code. However, before I can come to a definite view on this, I need colleagues' advice and help on the scope of the work involved, taking account of previous correspondence. It may be that I will not be able to complete this in full within our target of 20 working days and regret any delay. I will be in touch again as soon as I can.

3 . On the other correspondence, we will reply shortly to your other letters of 27 September and 2 October. Ms Belchem's letter of 21 August concerned your request for information about CSM's discussion of SSRIs at its meeting of 26 March (our ref OG 98/59) but inadvertently had the heading of Lariam. I am sorry for any confusion. Mr Alder replied to you on 8 September refusing your request. You subsequently wrote on 29 September and Mr Alder replied on 14 October advising that Dr Munro would conduct the review.

4. You copied Dr Jones your letter of 26 August to Professor Rawlins regarding Ritalin and withdrawal reactions for neuroleptics. Dr Jones replied on 18 September. I enclose a copy in case you have not received this. You will see that the MCA is looking into the issue of neuroleptic withdrawals and will comment further.

Yours sincerely
Peter Dunlevy
Executive Support

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