Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the Royal Colleges on the potential effect of pregnant women taking paracetamol and its effect on unborn boys.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) continuously monitors the safety of all medicines on the market in the United Kingdom and seeks independent expert advice from the Commission on Human Medicines on important new safety issues. The MHRA is aware of recently published research looking at the effect on male offspring of giving paracetamol to pregnant mice. All new evidence on the safety of paracetamol is kept under close review and this latest study will be carefully considered and any new advice will be communicated.

There have not been any discussions with the Royal Colleges on this issue yet.

Pregnant women should speak to their doctor or midwife before taking any medicine, including paracetamol.