Tampons (Hansard, 22 February 1990)

§ Ms. Richardson
To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has any plans to introduce standardised absorbency regulations for tampons.

§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
This Department and the Department of Trade and Industry have asked the industry to show the grades of absorbency of tampons clearly on the packets.

§ Ms. Richardson
To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he is aware of any research which has been conducted to ascertain whether tampon usage may be linked to the incidence of cervical cancer.

§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
We are not aware of evidence of a causal link between sanitary protection products and cervical cancer.

§ Ms. Richardson
To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will conduct research into the health effects of tampon usage including toxic shock syndrome, vaginal ulcerations and the possibility of tampon fibres becoming attached to vaginal membranes.

§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
There are no present plans to do so.

§ Ms. Richardson
To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department has conducted any research into links between tampon absorbency and the incidence of toxic shock syndrome.

§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
No, but there has been such research in the United States.