FOI release

Freedom of Information request (FOI 22/837)

Published 17 January 2024

19th October 2022

FOI 22/837

Dear

Thank you for your email.

Please accept our apologies for the delay in a response. 

On 25th June we received your request under the Freedom of Information act:

“the trials carried out on the drug Debendox and the safety test of Debendox in pregnant woman and the effects if any once the cold was born.in particular Dicyclomine and Doxylamine in combination by Merrell Dow pharmaceutical Inc.

Also the toxicity/teratogenicity if Dicyclomine and Doxylamine in combination.”

With regard to trial data, Debendox was on the market at the time that the Medicines Act of 1968 was implemented.  It was therefore granted a product licence of right (PLR) and the evidence of effectiveness will have been subject to review at a later date.  We have not been able to identify from our archive records information that would fulfil your request for trial data for Debendox.

Debendox was initially available as a triple combination product (doxylamine, pyridoxine, dicyclomine) and subsequently reformulated to a dual combination product (doxylamine, pyridoxine).   Doxylamine succinate 10mg, pyridoxine hydrochloride 10mg is currently authorised as the combination product Xonvea (PL 44081/0006) for the treatment of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy in women who do not respond to conservative management (i.e. changes in diet or other non-medicine treatments).  A summary of the evidence considered at the time of granting the licence for Xonvea is attached and is available at the link below.

https://mhraproducts4853.blob.core.windows.net/docs/dad564236129d859aad6832f2fc118cbb7642c4e

We have not identified data in our archive records regarding non-clinical toxicity and teratogenicity testing of dicyclomine and doxylamine in combination.

If you disagree with how we have interpreted the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in answering your request, you can ask for an internal review. Please reply to this email, within two months of this reply, specifying that you would like an Internal Review to be carried out.

Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

If you were to remain dissatisfied with the outcome of the internal review, you would have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. Please bear in mind that the Information Commissioner will not normally review our handling of your request unless you have first contacted us to conduct an internal review. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:

Information Commissioner’s Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Yours sincerely

MHRA Customer Experience Centre