Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they intend to make of the safety of menstrual and adult continence products, particularly with regard to skin sensitising and hormonal effects; and what plans they have to regulate tampons as medical devices.

The UK has a comprehensive regulatory framework that covers the safety of menstrual and adult continence products. This requires producers and distributors to ensure their products are safe before they are placed on the market.

The safety of these products is regulated by the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 in addition to other product specific laws. Manufacturers are required to ensure a product does not present any risk or only the minimum risks compatible with the product’s use.

There are no current plans to regulate tampons as medical devices.