HC Deb 21 November 1949 vol 470 cc10-2W
Colonel Stoddart-Scott

asked the Lord President of the Council what medical research is being done by the Medical Research Council into the problem of treatment, cure, prevention and cause of rheumatism which affects almost two million of our people; and the number employed and the money expended yearly on this research.

Mr. H. Morrison:

Research on rheumatic diseases has formed an increasingly important part of the programme of the Medical Research Council since a new approach to the problem was opened by the recent discovery in America of the effect of Compound E (Cortisone) in relieving these conditions. The possibility of preparing better compounds of a similar type is being actively pursued at a number of centres in this country, and large numbers of investigators are concerned.

The work is necessarily costly but in view of rapid expansion in the field of study it is not yet possible to estimate the total expenditure in the current financial year.

Colonel Stoddart-Scott

asked the Lord President of the Council how far the Medical Research Council sponsor, subsidise, or assist research into the problem of the rheumatic disease which causes an economic loss of over £20 million per year; and how much money has been spent annually since the war in this type of research.

Mr. H. Morrison:

The Medical Research Council have a Research Unit which is at present wholly devoted to the study of acute rheumatism, and they are making substantial grants for the support of research on rheumatic diseases at various hospitals. In addition, they support much work on fundamental problems of endocrinology such as led in America to the discovery of Compound E (Cortisone). The annual expenditure by the Council on these and allied problems has increased greatly since 1948 as a result of the new approach to the problem made possible by this discovery. Expenditure by the Council on research limited to rheumatism was £1,135 in 1946–47, £3,800 in 1947–48, and £4,810 in 1948–9. I am not in a position to express a view as to the accuracy of the figure as to economic loss mentioned by the hon. and gallant Member.