§ Captain Ellistonasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether, considering the importance of vitamins in modern medical treatment, he will remove his restrictions on the use of these products for pharmaceutical purposes?
Major Lloyd GeorgeThere are no restrictions on the use of vitamins B1 and D for pharmaceutical purposes. Vitamin A is still available in reduced quantities for pharmaceutical purposes. It is not possible to increase the present supply owing to the large demands for this vitamin for the fortification of margarine. As regards vitamin C there is no restriction on the use of ascorbic acid for tablets and other "straight" preparations. There is, however, a voluntary restriction with the manufacturers whereby pharmaceutical manufacturers of proprietary brands of multi-vitamin preparations are allowed supplies of ascorbic acid on the basis of their average usage in the first222W five months of 1941 prior to the introduction of the vitamin C Control Order on 2nd June last. This restriction has been imposed by my noble Friend with the agreement of my Right Hon. Friend the Minister of Health, on the recommendation of the special Diets Advisory Committee of the Medical Research Council.