§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the Department of Health is funding or knows of research into the possible long-term dangers to human health of the widespread use of the genetically engineered hormone BST in cows to increase their milk; and if so, whether they will undertake to make the findings of the research public so that they may be examined by the scientific community; and if they will not, why not.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Baroness Hooper)The Department of Health is not funding research into the possible long-term effects to human health from the consumption of recombinant Bovine Somatotropin in cows' milk.
The companies manufacturing Bovine Somatotropin are at present testing their products to determine efficacy under field conditions. For this purpose the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has granted an Animal Test Certificate under the Medicines Act 1968. Before such tests can be undertaken the advice of the Veterinary Products Committee is taken on matters of safety of people consuming any produce from treated animals, people handling the compound, the treated animals and the environment while the tests are under way.
Before giving advice the Veterinary Products Committee considered data from a large number of research projects provided by the pharmaceutical companies manufacturing Bovine Somatotropin. Some of the data have been published but some are held by the companies and was seen by the Veterinary Products Committee in confidence under the terms of the Medicines Act 1968. Among other things the data satisfied the Veterinary Products Committee that there is no risk to the health of consumers of milk from cows treated with Bovine Somatotropin during the efficacy tests.
Before a decision is taken on whether or not to license the product, the Veterinary Products Committee will consider not only the results of the efficacy tests but any further data on human health effects which have been generated by the pharmaceutical companies.