§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what treatment is available for ME on the National Health Service.
§ Mr. DorrellThe Department of health and the National Health Service recognise myalgic encephalomyelitis as a debilitating and distressing disease. Its causes are not yet fully understood, nor is there a generally agreed method of treatment. Treatment to alleviate the various symptoms is a matter for medical judgment in individual cases. A number of licensed medicines, prescribable under the NHS, have been found to bring relief to some patients.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money has been spent by his Department in funding research on myalgic encephalomyelitis for each year for the past three years.
§ Mr. DorrellThe Department of Health is aware of several studies being conducted into myalgic encephalomyelitis although it has not sponsored this research. The main Government agency responsible for the promotion of biomedical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council (MRC) which receives grant-in-aid from the Department of Education and Science. I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Department of Education and Science gave my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby and Kenilworth (Mr. Pawsey) on 2 February at column422.