§ 25. Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what research is being carried out on brain damage to boxers.
§ Mr. MaloneThe Department of Health and the Medical Research Council, which receives its grant in aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, are not currently undertaking any research specifically into brain damage to boxers. However, the MRC, the main agency through which the Government support biomedical and clinical research, spent £761,000 on research into head injury in 1993–94, a proportion of which may be relevant to brain damage in boxers. In addition, the council supports research in a number of areas that are relevant to brain damage in boxers including dementia, pain, vision, cognitive changes and brain repair.
The Department of Health has commissioned a study entitled "Rehabilitation of Brain Injured Adults", which is estimated to cost some £1.2 million.