§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is his estimate of the current cost of treating people who suffer from Huntington's chorea; and what would be the cost if the level of service was adequate;
(2) what is his estimate of the number of people, and the percentage, in each age band in the United Kingdom who suffer from Huntington's chorea;
(3) what is his estimate of the proportion of the population suffering from Huntington's chorea; what is his estimate of the proportion of the population at risk of contracting Huntington's chorea; what action he is taking to reduce its incidence; and if he will make a statement;
(4) what evidence there is of people contracting Huntington's chorea de novo; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MoyleNo official figures are available for the number of sufferers from Huntington's chorea in the United Kingdom. Estimates vary widely but most fall within a range of between 3,000 and 6,000 and on this basis it can be estimated that between 15,000 and 30,000 of the population are at risk of contracting the disease.
Huntington's chorea is a genetically transmitted disease caused by a mutation—change in the genetic material; in most cases this has been transmitted for several generations, but occasionally a patient is 44W seen where no ancestor is affected and it is assumed that this is due to a fresh mutation. With this small exception, the number of people at risk depends directly on the number of sufferers and it is important to warn all their children, as well as blood relatives wherever possible. Counselling is available at genetic centres throughout the country, and family doctors and others concerned with patients can also play an important part in alerting and counselling relatives with the patient's knowledge and agreement.
I regret that treatment costs for individual diseases are not separately identified within the National Health Service.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that general practitioners are adequately trained to diagnose Huntington's chorea; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MoyleDiagnosis forms part of the basic training of all doctors and they will learn about Huntington's chorea during their undergraduate training and continuing education. In arriving at the diagnosis, general practitioners have the support of the hospital specialist services to which patients can readily be referred.