§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the volume and value of human insulin imported into the United Kingdom in each year since 1983; what proportion this represents of the total human insulin used in the United Kingdom each year since 1983; and whether any checks are made as to whether this human insulin was purchased or donated voluntarily.
287W
§ Mr. MellorAll "human insulin" is manufactured, either by modification of porcine insulin or using biotechnology to produce in the laboratory a product which has the same chemical characteristics as insulin occurring naturally in humans. For this reason it is commonly referred to as "human insulin", though it is not, as might be assumed, derived from human sources. All such human insulin sold in the United Kingdom is now imported, although there was some manufacture up to 1987. Information on amounts sold was given in my reply to the hon. Member for Sedgefield (Mr. Blair) on 21 December 1988, at column325.