Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether there is any link between benzodiazepine prescribed drugs and an increased risk of (1) Alzheimer's disease, (2) brain damage, (3) lung cancer, and (4) seizure.

The class of medicines known as benzodiazepines include a number of active substances and have been extensively studied. Benzodiazepines are indicated for short-term (two to four weeks) use. All medicines are associated with some risks and these medicines are no exception.

Safety concerns that are established to be associated with a medicine are outlined in the product information available for each medicine, this includes possible side effects. The product information for benzodiazepines do not currently include a risk of Alzheimer's disease or lung cancer. However, there is a warning that patients with severe liver impairment may develop encephalopathy (damage or disease which affects the brain). In addition, the drug withdrawal reactions may include seizure and this may be more common in patients with pre-existing seizure disorders or who are taking other medicines which lower the seizure threshold such as antidepressants.