Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessments of the health implications of the drug Scopolamine.

The health impacts of Scopolamine (known as hyoscine in the United Kingdom) are kept under review by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). In 2003 the Committee on Human Medicines considered the balance of benefits and risks of hyoscine butylbromide and concluded that it continues to be acceptable in both parenteral and oral preparations.

In 2017, following a review of a number of case reports with hyoscine butylbromide given by injection, the MHRA published updated prescribing information to help minimise the risk of serious adverse effects in patients with underlying cardiac disease. Product labelling for a hyoscine butylbromide injection was also updated at this time. Patient Safety is the top priority and the MHRA is currently considering available evidence relating to labelling of side effects associated with hyoscine hydrobromide patches. Any new advice for patients or healthcare professionals will be communicated once this review is complete.