§ Mr. Skinnerasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what 648W amounts of money are spent providing research for retinitis pigmentosa cures;
(2) whether any research projects investigating cures for retinitis pigmentosa have been, or are being, withdrawn because of lack of funds;
(3) if she will provide additional National Health Service funds for provision of further research regarding retinitis pigmentosa.
§ Mrs. Shirley WilliamsBiochemical research including research on retinitis pigmentosa is the concern of the Medical Research Council.
A recent report to the Council by its expert working party on retinitis pigmentosa concluded that the present need was for basic studies on the normal development of the retina and its pathological reactions. Without a better understanding of these processes progress in treatment is unlikely. A grant for the study of abnormal retinal physiology in patients with retinitis pigmentosa was recently awarded to two research workers in the Institute of Ophthalmology in London. Another grant has been awarded for research into the genetic and clinical aspects of retinitis pigmentosa with the aim of subdividing this group of disorders into individual disease states. The Council is always prepared to consider support for soundly based projects of potential value for its treatment of retinitis pigmentosa. It is not aware of any research on a cure which has been, or is to be, cancelled because of lack of funds.