Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government why, in advertisements distributed as part of NHS public health campaigns, the word "safe" has been used to promote the COVID-19 vaccines, given that the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency's Blue Guide, published in November 2020, says that "advertising which states or implies that a product is 'safe' is unacceptable".

The Winter Vaccinations campaign ‘Boost Your Immunity This Winter’ ran over two years (2021/22 and 2022/23). The campaign prompted those eligible to get a COVID-19 booster to ‘Get Vaccinated. Get Boosted. Get Protected’. The Department is unable to locate any paid advertising – delivered as part of this multi-year campaign – using the word ‘safe’ to encourage uptake of COVID-19 vaccines. Our aim is that all paid advertising follows Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and Advertising Standards Authority guidance.