§ Mr. BurnsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the possible health risks associated with parents falling asleep in bed with their babies or young infants. [127435]
§ Dr. LadymanThere is an association between parents falling asleep in bed with their babies and the tragic occurrence of cot death. The Department has issued guidance which addresses this hazard, details of which are available at http://www.doh.gov.uk/cotdeath/. There is also the possibility that an adult may roll over while asleep and smother their baby, or that the baby might fall from the bed and so be injured. The Child Accident Prevention Trust—a voluntary organisation which receives grant aid from the Department of Health—has issued guidance entitled "Keep your Baby Safe". This addresses health risks associated with parents falling asleep with their babies.
§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 8 May,Official Report, column 866W, on baby vaccines, if he will publish the responses to the letters of 1 April from the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency to UK vaccine marketing authorisation holders asking for an update on progress in reducing or removing thiomersal from vaccines. [123459]
§ Miss Melanie Johnson[holding answer on 3 July]The information provided by pharmaceutical manufacturers to the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is commercially sensitive and its confidentiality is guaranteed by The Medicines Act 1968. The Medicines Act 1968. The MHRA cannot publish the manufacturers' responses (which are still being received). The MHRA is continuing to work with the vaccine manufacturers to make every effort to remove or reduce the thiomersal component present in vaccines, including those used in the childhood immunisation programme. The only vaccine routinely administered to babies in the UK which contains thiomersal is diphtheria-tetanus-whole cell pertussis (DTwP). MMR HiB, oral polio and meningitis C vaccines used in the UK childhood vaccination programme are all thiomersal free.