§ Mr. Gordon Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what research is being conducted by his Department into causes of a cure for the disease retinitis pigmentosa.
§ Mrs. Shirley WilliamsI have been asked to reply.
The term "retinitis pigmentosa" covers a group of hereditary diseases that affect the retina and result in progressive visual loss. The Medical Research Council's clinical and population cytogenetics unit in Edinburgh and human biochemical genetics unit in London have recently begun a study of some aspects of the genetics of this rare condition. Other work in such fields as neurochemistry, visual physiology and cell biology may in the long term be relevant.