Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential third-generation health impacts of Diethylstilbestrol exposure; and whether specific research has been commissioned to examine those impacts on fertility, pregnancy outcomes, and cancer risk.

The Government encourages all women, including those exposed to diethylstilbestrol (DES) in utero, to attend regular cervical screenings which test for human papillomavirus, the cause of most cervical cancers. Women who believe or know that they were exposed to DES in utero may also need regular colposcopy which falls outside the routine screening programme. We recommend that they should speak to their general practitioner about this as local arrangements should be made for the follow up of women who have the stigmata of DES exposure. Further information regarding individuals exposed to DES is contained within the cervical screening guidance for the National Health Service, at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cervical-screening-programme-and-colposcopy-management/5-screening-and-management-of-immunosuppressed-individuals

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has asked NHS England to work with local cancer alliances to ensure that providers are aware of this existing screening and follow up guidance for individuals exposed to DES.

Furthermore, where appropriate, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care is considering how the Department may be able to share awareness of this issue with colleagues from across the Government who are responsible for related areas of chemical and environmental health policy, with a view to minimising future public health risks.

There are no plans by the Department to undertake an assessment of the potential impact of DES exposure on the long-term or intergenerational health of people in the United Kingdom.

The Department invests over £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). While no research has been commissioned into the health outcomes of people exposed to DES in utero, the NIHR would welcome high quality funding applications in this area. Further information on the scope of research funding calls is available on the NIHR website.