Oliver Colvile – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Oliver Colvile on 2014-04-30.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department has given consideration to licensing e-cigarettes as medicines.

Jane Ellison

On 14 March 2014, European Union member states formally adopted the revised Tobacco Products Directive, including the provisions for regulation of electronic cigarettes. Article 18 of the Directive will subject electronic cigarettes to consumer products legislation, with specific additional regulatory requirements unless they fall under the definition of a medicinal product.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is continuing to focus on regulating medicinal nicotine containing products, including electronic cigarettes, to enable licensed products that meet appropriate standards of safety, quality and efficacy to be available. Marketing authorisation applications have been submitted and interest in licensing continues.