Medicines Act 1968

122 Warranty as defence. U.K.

(1) Subject to the following provisions of this section, in any proceedings for an offence under this Act in respect of a contravention of a provision to which this section applies, it shall be a defence for the defendant to prove—

(a) that he purchased the substance or article to which the contravention relates in the United Kingdom as being a substance or article which could be lawfully sold, supplied, or offered or exposed for sale, or could be lawfully sold, supplied, or offered or exposed for sale under the name or description or for the purpose under or for which he sold, supplied or offered or exposed it for sale, and with a written warranty to that effect;

(b) that at the time of the commission of the alleged offence he had no reason to believe that it was otherwise; and

(c) that the substance or article was then in the same state as when he purchased it.

(2) This section applies to the following provisions, that is to say, [F1 sections 63(b), 64, 87 and 88] F2 ... and the provisions of any regulations made under any of those sections.

(3) A warranty shall not be a defence by virtue of this section unless the defendant has, not later than three clear days before the date of the hearing, sent to the prosecutor a copy of the warranty with a notice stating that he intends to rely on it and specifying the name and address of the person from whom he received it, and has also sent a like notice to that person.

(4) Where the defendant is a servant of the person who purchased the substance or article under the warranty, he shall be entitled to rely on the provisions of this section in the same way as his employer would have been entitled to do if he had been the defendant.

(5) The person by whom the warranty is alleged to have been given shall be entitled to appear at the hearing and to give evidence, and the court may, if it thinks fit, adjourn the hearing to enable him to do so.

(6) For the purposes of this section a name or description entered in an invoice shall be deemed to be a written warranty that the article or substance to which the name or description applies can be sold, supplied, or offered or exposed for sale under that name or description by any person without contravening any provision to which this section applies.

(7) In the application of this and the next following section to Scotland, any reference to the defendant shall be construed as a reference to the accused.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 122(2) substituted (14.8.2012) by The Human Medicines Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/1916), reg. 1(2), Sch. 34 para. 25 (with Sch. 32)

F2 Words in s. 122(2) omitted (1.10.2006) by virtue of The Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/2407), reg. 1, Sch. 8 para. 62 (with regs. 2(4), 3)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Pt. VIII (ss. 104–136) extended by S.I.s 1982/425, art. 3, 1984/187 art. 2; and extended with modifications by S.I. 1985/403, art. 3(1)

S. 122 applied (with modifications) (3.4.1992) by S.I. 1992/605, reg. 2(1)(2),Sch.

S. 122 extended (with modifications) (14.2.1994) by S.I. 1994/105, reg. 19, Sch.4

S. 122 applied (1.1.1995) by S.I. 1994/3142, reg. 18(2)

S. 122 applied (with modifications) (1.1.1995) by S.I. 1994/3144, reg.10, Sch. 4

S. 122 applied (31.3.1997) by S.I. 1997/322, reg. 34, Sch.5

C2 Ss. 121-125 applied (with modifications) (1.5.2004) by Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/1031), regs. 1, 47, Schs. 9

C3 Ss. 121-127 applied (with modifications) (30.10.2005) by Medicines (Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products for Human Use) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/2750), regs. 1(a), 11, Schs. 4 (with Sch. 6)

C4 Ss. 121-125 amendment to earlier affecting provision SI 2004/1031 reg. 47 Sch. 9 (29.8.2006) by Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Amendment Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/1928), regs. 1(1), 32