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Written question asked by Luke Akehurst (Labour) on Wednesday, 22 October 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 27 October 2025. It was answered by Stephen Timms (Labour) on Thursday, 30 October 2025 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.


Hazardous Substances: Health Professions

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to (a) (i) develop and (ii) adopt a list of hazardous medicinal products and (b) require safety data sheets for finished medicines; and if he will take steps with the Health and Safety Executive to make such a list publicly available to NHS employers.

Answer

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has no current plans to develop or adopt a list of hazardous medicinal products. The GB Classification, Labelling and Packaging of Chemicals Regulations 2009 (GB CLP) is disapplied to medicinal products in their finished state as outlined in Article 1(5)(a) of GB CLP.

Furthermore, the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals Regulations 2006 include an exemption from the need to provide a safety data sheet (SDS) for substances and mixtures intended for medicinal products. This occurs to avoid duplication when other more specific legislation exists to regulate those uses. Medicinal products for human and veterinary use, which are within the scope of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 or the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013, are partially exempt from REACH for this reason. The responsibility for the REACH legislation lies with the Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
84436
Session
2024-26
Related items
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Written questions
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Grouped for answer
Yes
Subjects
Health professions Hazardous substances Safety
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk