Source · Select Committees · Health and Social Care Committee
Recommendation 8
8
Deferred
Paragraph: 59
Commission national review of anabolic steroid use and launch safe use awareness campaign.
Recommendation
We recommend that the Department commissions a national review of the growing use of anabolic steroids in England as it relates to body image. We further recommend that the Department introduces a national awareness campaign around safe anabolic steroid use. This ought to be coordinated through existing steroid user support groups and targeted at areas of highest risk, such as gyms with a high proportion of body builders.
Government response summary AI-generated
The government's response largely deflected the recommendation for a national review and awareness campaign on anabolic steroid use, instead focusing on the Online Advertising Programme (OAP) and its consideration of advertisements that contribute to body image concerns, and engagement with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) on digitally altered images.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Paragraph Reference:
59
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government · verbatim extract
Deferred
The government agrees with the committee that IPEDs are a significant public health issue. Recent research and campaigns have already addressed the actions highlighted in the recommendation. In January 2020, UKAD , an arm’s-length body of DCMS , published a report on IPEDS highlighting the increased usage of these drugs among young males outside of sport for cosmetic purposes . In November 2018, UKAD announced a partnership with ukactive to improve education and awareness around IPEDs in gyms and leisure facilities . The partnership is aimed at exploring: attitudes around IPEDs among gym users how best to support operators, coaches and personal trainers to help keep sport and exercise clean This follows a recommendation made in the Tailored Review of UK Anti-Doping in 2018, which set out the opportunity for UKAD to: influence the fitness sector work with representative bodies to promote improved guidance and knowledge on the use of safe supplements The issue of the growing use of anabolic steroids in England is a shared responsibility, and one upon which the government, UKAD and others will continue to work together.
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