§ Joan RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the safety of cosmetics containing genetically modified products into which antibiotic resistance gene markers have been inserted when used by people undergoing antibiotic treatment for skin conditions. [76056]
§ Dr. HowellsUnder the Cosmetic Products (Safety) Regulations 1996, cosmetic products must be assessed by their manufacturers for safety to ensure that they are not harmful to human health.
My Department has made no assessment of the safety of cosmetics containing ingredients which may be derived from a genetically modified source, but we will be supporting the moves proposed by the European Commission Scientific Steering Committee to develop harmonised guidelines for Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) risk assessments for cosmetic products.