§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence he has assessed in relation to the possible subverting of healthy prions in mammals to rogue prions by reaction with organophosphates in the presence of manganese; and what implications such a reaction would have for the use of insecticide lotions in school hair lice eradication programmes. [151236]
§ Yvette CooperThe hypothesis that organophosphates (OPs) cause BSE in cattle by reacting with prions in normal mammalian cells to produce abnormal prions has been assessed by the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee. This is an independent expert committee established by Government to advise on all matters relating to spongiform encephalopathies. The committee concluded that none of the available scientific evidence indicates that the BSE epidemic is related to the use of OPs. This hypothesis was not consistent with the available epidemiological evidence. For example it does not explain the high incidence of BSE in Great Britain alone when such compounds are used throughout the world. Nor does it account for the fact that the BSE epidemic in Northern Ireland lagged behind that in Great Britain by some 2 years, despite the fact that OPs were used earlier, and at higher concentrations, in Northern Ireland.
Since the evidence does not support the hypothesis, there are no current implications for hair lice treatments containing OPs. Such products are licensed by the Medicines Control Agency in the United Kingdom; it has to be satisfied regarding safety, quality and efficacy before such licenses are issued.