Question reference: S6W-05268
- Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 22 December 2021
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Current status: Answered by Maree Todd on 17 January 2022
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what further consideration it has given to population-based recommendations and guidance on vitamin D supplementation, in light of Scotland's reported low vitamin D status and evidence that the vitamin may be able to play a role in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, including in the study, Therapeutic and prognostic role of vitamin D for COVID-19 infection: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 43 observational studies.
Answer
Our current advice on vitamin D supplementation is based on the consensus of the scientific evidence, as presented to all UK nations by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN).
On 19 June 2021, SACN published a paper summarising the monitoring of recent evidence on nutrition and COVID-19. It is available at
SACN concluded that, to date, the monitoring exercise had not identified any new trials in relation to vitamin D and COVID-19 that would change current dietary advice or require the re-review of the rapid guideline published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), Public Health England and SACN on 17 December 2020. The rapid guideline states:
- people should continue to follow existing advice on vitamin D supplementation to maintain bone and muscle health
- there is currently not enough evidence to support taking vitamin D solely to prevent or treat COVID-19
The rapid guideline is available at https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/NG187
The UK COVID-19 Therapeutic Advisory Panel (UK C-TAP) is continuing to monitor ongoing COVID-19 related Vitamin D trials. I understand the SACN secretariat is in contact with the NICE surveillance team and officials supporting UK C-TAP to ensure complementary approaches. Evidence on vitamin D in relation to COVID-19 is also being monitored by the multi-agency initiative ‘Research to Access Pathway for Investigational Drugs in COVID-19’.
We will continue to look to NICE and others who are closely monitoring this evidence base.