§ Mr. Masonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the Committee on Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment has now examined the report, "Maggots Dyed with Chrysoidine: A Possible Risk to Anglers", which appeared in the October edition of the British Medical Journal, column 289, a copy of which he has received; what were its conclusions; if its review on the harmful effects of chrysoidine dye is now complete; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. John PattenThe Committee on Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment considered the report to which the right hon. Member refers at its meeting in December 1984.
The committee recognised the although clinical evidence such as that presented in the report and other literature does not rule out a link between exposure to chrysoidine and bladder cancer, there is no positive evidence to support such a hypothesis. Both people referred to in the report were heavy cigarette smokers and heavy smoking is known to be associated with a number of forms of cancer, including that of the bladder. Indeed, the report's author recognised that cigarette smoking, as well as chrysoidine, may have been instrumental in the development of the bladder cancers.
The committee emphasised that it is not possible to draw conclusions about cause and effect from isolated cases and stressed that the available epidemiological and experimental evidence showed no relationship between chrysoidine and cancer, either in workers handling the substance or in anglers.
The committee will continue to pay careful attention to any clinical, epidemiological or experimental evidence regarding the possible harmful effects of the dye chrysoidine and will review their advice to the Department as necessary.