§ Lord Lucasasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they are prepared to provide independent researchers with authenticated samples of new-variant CJD DNA; and, if so, what procedures such a researcher must go through, and what criteria they must satisfy, before such samples will be provided. [HL1550]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath)The Government have recently agreed over £1 million to set up a biological resource centre at the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control to supply validated infectious material for the study of both classical and variant Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease. It is intended that this centre will also supply blood and other appropriate tissues for research. All these research materials will be obtained in full accordance with the Human Tissue Act 1961.
Any researchers are at liberty to apply for validated infectious material but must be bona fide establishments adequately resourced to conduct the work and their proposed projects must be subject to the usual peer review mechanisms. Applications should be made in writing to the Director of the Cent re (Dr. Philip Minor).