Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 12 Apr 2000

Vol. 518 No. 1

Written Answers. - Medicinal Products.

Bernard Allen

Question:

123 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if his Department has carried out a study on the long-term effects of too much vitamin B and iron intake in view of a recent decision made by the Norwegian Government not to allow the importation of products enriched with vitamins and minerals under its consumer protection laws on the grounds that they could pose a health risk and, as a result, have banned the importation of cornflakes to Norway. [11009/00]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

My Department has not carried out any recent studies on the long-term effects of vitamin B and iron intake. Recommended daily allowances for several vitamins and minerals including B vitamins and iron were compiled by the former food advisory committee and published in 1983. Recommendations to the Minister on new RDAs were made recently by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland.

The Irish Medicines Board has recently pub lished a document termed "A guide to the definition of a medicinal product". In this document it states that vitamins and minerals are considered as medicinal products when the labelling or accompanying or associated literature makes any preventative, curative or remedial claims or the recommended daily intake calculated with respect to any of the added vitamin or mineral constituents exceeds the maximum recommended daily dietary allowance for such constituents.

Medicinal products as defined above are authorised by the Irish Medicines Board on the basis of the quality, safety and efficacy of the product. There are special warnings, contraindications that apply to some of the vitamins and minerals – use of iron in children – and these are included on the individual licences.

A White Paper on Food Safety was introduced on 12 January 2000 by the EU Commissioner for Public Health and Consumer Protection, Mr. David Byrne. In this White Paper, the commission has committed itself to submitting a proposal for a directive on fortified foods to the European Parliament and the Council by September 2000. This directive will lay down the provisions for marketing of foodstuffs to which nutrients such as vitamins and minerals have been added. The target date for adoption of this draft directive by the council and parliament is September 2001.

I am unaware of the action taken by the Norwegian Government as referred to by the Deputy, and if he provides further details I will look into the matter.