§ 1. Mr. Iremongerasked the Minister of Health, as representing the Minister for Science, what progress has so far been achieved in research into the cause and treatment of multiple sclerosis; on what lines such research is to be carried out in the future; whether he is satisfied that the funds available provide adequately for the needs and opportunities for further research; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Minister of Health (Mr. Derek Walker-Smith)My hon. Friend the Member for Croydon, South (Mr. R. Thompson) gave a very full report of research on multiple sclerosis in a debate on 15th May. He explained that the problem is intractable and that it is this fact rather than lack of funds which hampers progress. Research continues, however, and I can assure my hon. Friend that any promising line of research will receive adequate financial support.
§ Mr. IremongerWhile I thank my right hon. and learned Friend for that reply, may I ask him whether the House should gather that, since the debate to which he refers, there have been no promising lines of research uncovered?
§ Mr. Walker-SmithYes, Sir; that is so.
§ Mr. BrockwayDoes the right hon. and learned Gentleman really mean that this problem is intractable? Is he aware that there are 50,000 cases in the country, including nearly twenty in my constituency? Could he report on how far the research into the Russian drug has yielded results?
§ Mr. Walker-SmithThis is, unfortunately, an intractable problem, not only in this country but the world over. Russian workers claim to have isolated from cases of multiple sclerosis a virus closely related to the rabies virus, but they do not claim that treatment with their vaccine prepared from this newly isolated virus has been an unqualified success, and no adequately controlled trials of its therapeutic value have been reported.