HL Deb 30 July 1997 vol 582 cc54-5WA
Earl Kitchener

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What recent representations about the ban on higher dose vitamin B6 they have received from Dr. John Hathcock or other former directors of the United States Food and Drug Administration; and whether any such representations supported or opposed the introduction of the ban.

Lord Donoughue

The Government have no intention of introducing a ban on higher dose vitamin B6 products. It has accepted advice from the independent Food Advisory Committee that the level of vitamin B6 in dietary supplements sold under food law should be limited to a maximum of 10mg per daily dose. However, higher dose products licensed as medicines for the treatment of specific clinical conditions will continue to be available from pharmacies and on prescription.

On 23 July my honourable friends the Minister of State at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Minister for Public Health met with representatives of organisations who were unhappy with the proposed limit in order to listen to their concerns. Dr. John Hathcock was present at that meeting as part of a delegation from the National Association of Healthfood Stores. He also met with officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food earlier on the same day. On both occasions he questioned the validity of the scientific evidence upon which the proposed limit is based.