Cosmetics: Regulation
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to set out (a) where responsibility sits for action to prevent the availability of tan- enhancing products containing Melanotan II and (b) the steps that have been taken to prevent the availability of tan-enhancing products that are illegal.
Answered by Dr Zubir Ahmed
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for the regulation of medicinal products and medical devices in the United Kingdom.
Although tanning is not considered to be a medical purpose, injectable products containing Melanotan 1 or Melanotan 2 have been determined as medicinal products due to their similarity to the authorised medicine Scenesse.
In relation to nasal sprays containing Melanotan 1 or 2, there are no equivalent authorised medicines and in the absence of medicinal claims, they are not regarded as medicinal products.
Medicinal products must hold a relevant Marketing Authorisation to be legally sold and supplied in the UK. This also guarantees that the medicines have been tested for conformity with strict standards of quality, safety, and efficacy.
The MHRA takes action when a medicinal product without appropriate authorisations is identified.
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