§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his policy concerning toxic shock syndrome; and what initiatives he proposes concerning toxic shock syndrome.
§ Mr. David HuntToxic shock syndrome (TSS) is a rare but very unpleasant condition which is believed to be caused by toxin-producing strains of the bacterium Staphylococcus Aureus. About 50 per cent. of all cases occur in women during menstruation, but non-menstrual cases occur in association with abscesses, osteomyelitis, wound infections and pneumonia—i.e. any severe infections. It can therefore also affect men, children and non-menstruating women. Management of the condition is a matter for clinical judgment.
Information received from the public health laboratory service suggests that in recent years there have been, on average, one or two deaths a year from TSS associated with tampon use in the United Kingdom. Government action has been focused on cases relating to tampon usage as the prime identifiable cause of TSS.
In 1984 the Department of Trade and Industry and the sanitary protection industry set up a voluntary prior notification scheme for menstrual tampons. This scheme applies to the entire manufactured product, including the instructions for use. Under the scheme, manufacturers submit to the Government any new tampon to which there have been significant changes in the design or materials, and toxicologists from the Department of Health scrutinise them to decide whether they pose a health hazard. The manufacturers' own code of practice also covers manufacturing standard quality assurance.
For the past decade, the instruction leaflet—included in every pack by tampon manufacturers—has contained information on TSS, advice on using the lowest level of absorbency required and on changing tampons frequently. It is likely that these simple precautions minimise the risk of TSS.
At the end of 1990 the industry, in agreement with the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Health, made some improvements to the labelling of tampon packages and the instruction leaflets. The principal modifications to pack statements were to add instructions to users to read and retain the leaflet, and clearer advice on absorbency selection. Fuller information on TSS, including what to do if symptoms occur, was also put into the leaflet.