§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what research is being sponsored by Her Majesty's Government into cystic fibrosis, its causes, prevention and cure; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneThe Medical Research Council supports research relevant to cystic fibrosis both in its own establishment and by way of grants to research workers in university departments and medical schools. At the Council's clinical research centre, studies are being undertaken of the clinical and biochemical features of cystic fibrosis and other inborn errors of metabolism, as well as genetic studies to develop and evaluate methods for identifying populations at risk of such inherited diseases. Research to determine the basic underlying genetic defect in cystic fibrosis is being carried out at the MRC clinical genetics unit.
Grant-supported work, aimed largely at improving the detection, and understanding the pathogenesis and biochemical basis of the disease, is in progress at the University of Edinburgh, the Welsh National School of Medicine, and St. Mary's Hospital Medical School.
729WThe cost of this research on cystic fibrosis in the financial year 1978–79 was approximately £240,000.