MIFEPRISTONE

Mdm Claire Chiang See Ngoh asked the Minister for Health (a) since Mifepristone is not dispensed in Singapore, whether the Government sees a need to adopt appropriate measures to stop any transaction of this drug through the Internet; and (b) whether the Government has the intention of legalising this drug in due time to be consistent with FDA guidelines in the United States.

Mr Lim Hng Kiang: Under the Medicines Act, importers and distributors of medicinal products must be licensed by the Ministry. Buyers of unregistered medicinal products such as Mifepristone can be prosecuted for importing or procuring medicinal products without a proper licence. The Ministry of Health has strongly advised the public not to purchase unregulated medicinal products through the Internet as the quality and source of such products cannot be vouched for. Given the nature of e-commerce, it would be difficult to prevent Singaporeans from buying prescription drugs through the Internet. However, any postal items that are suspected to contain prescription drugs from overseas are referred by the Customs and Excise Department to the National Pharmaceutical Administration for inspection. NPA will continue to monitor local internet sites and take appropriate action against sites found to be offering prescription drugs for sale.

My Ministry has not received any application for the registration of the abortion pill, Mifepristone, widely known as RU 486.

All drugs are evaluated for quality, safety and efficacy before they are registered for use in Singapore. The Ministry considers all the scientific and clinical data submitted, including information available from other established drug regulatory agencies. We also consider the clinical applicability of the drug to our local population and its potential side effects. Local clinical experts and the Medicines Advisory Committee, an expert committee appointed under the Medicines Act, are consulted. While we take note of decisions made by overseas regulatory agencies like the FDA, the decision to register a pharmaceutical product in Singapore will need to take into consideration our local clinical context and our healthcare practices.