§ Mr. Dykesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has regarding a possible correlation between the use of the artificial sweetener Aspartame and the incidence of epileptic seizures in previously healthy adults; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WhitneyA letter published in theLancet on 9 November reported three cases of epileptic seizure in previously healthy adults in the United States of America who consumed large quantities of aspartame-sweetened drinks. The author claimed only that this suggested an association between epilepsy and the consumption of aspartame.
Epilepsy is a relatively common condition which may affect previously healthy adults at any age. Some cases of first seizures in people who are also consumers of large amounts of aspartame would be expected simply by chance during the two years that aspartame has been extensively used in the United States of America. The letter provides no evidence that consumption of aspartame increases susceptibility to epileptic seizures.