Captain TUDOR-REESasked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the advertisements of alleged cures for cancer and other diseases; and whether, with a view to protecting the public from the frauds and deceptions of these advertisers and from the ill-effects of their supposed remedies, he will introduce legislation to render such advertisements illegal?
§ Mr. DEVLINasked the Minister of Health whether the British Consul at Geneva recently sent to the Foreign Office a communication calling attention to the new treatment for tuberculosis, known as the Henri Spahlinger's method; whether this communication has been referred to him; whether eminent medical specialists in Switzerland, France, and other countries have testified to the remarkable percentage of cures effected by this treatment; what, action, if any, the Department of Health have taken in this matter; and whether, in view of the attempts to stamp out this scourge, which levies such a heavy toll of lives in Great Britain and Ireland annually, he is prepared to say that a full and prompt official medical investigation of this new treatment will be held?
§ Dr. ADDISONThe Proprietary Medicines Bill, which was introduced last Session, was intended to give effect to the recommendations of the Select Committee which reported on this question in 1914. The Bill is now being revised to meet certain objections of the commercial interest concerned, and I hope it will be possible to re-introduce it during the present Session, but I am unable at present to name any definite date. With regard to the Spahlinger1822W treatment of tuberculosis, I am aware of the communication to which the hon. Member refers. It appears that so long ago as 1913 to 1914 the serum in question was prepared and the matter was carefully explored by the Medical Research Council, and by independent physicians, but the trials have not been sufficiently exhaustive to justify any definite and reliable conclusions. If and when supplies of the scrum become available in this country, I will certainly see that its efficacy is exhaustively tested. But I understand that a supply of the serum is not likely to be available for this purpose for some months, and that, on account of the secrecy maintained as to its constitution and method of preparation, it has hitherto been found impracticable for the recognised research laboratories in this country to investigate its properties and effects.