§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in the light of the incidence of retinitis pigmentosa given in his answer to the hon. Member for Rother Valley (Mr. Hardy), he is satisfied with the adequacy of provision for treatment of and research into this disease compared with others; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MoyleNo specific treatment has been accepted by ophthalmologists in this country as effective in preventing, arresting or curing retinitis pigmentosa and none is therefore commonly practised under the National Health Service. Any doctor may of course prescribe or use any treatment that he feels may benefit an individual patient. High priority is given to research through the Medical322W Research Council for effective treatment for the condition.
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether in the light of the large sums of money being spent by individuals and raised in appeals for treatment of retinitis pigmentosa victims at the Opos Eye Clinic, St. Gallen, Switzerland, he will institute an inquiry into the success or failure of this treatment in improving the vision or checking the progress of the disease among those who have gone to the clinic from Great Britain.
(2) whether the combination of treatment involving surgical implantation, vitam injection and strenuous exercises practised by the Opos Eye Clinic in Switzerland for the treatment of retinitis pigmentosa has ever been critically evaluated either in the United Kingdom or by study in Switzerland.
§ Mr. MoyleA Medical Research Council working party, set up to look into research into all aspects of retinitis pigmentosa, concluded that
Tissue therapy using placenta as a biological stimulant (the Opos Eye Clinic treatment) was widely practised for the ten years following 1955. There is no convincing evidence of improvement in vision following these treatments".On the basis of this advice I do not propose to institute any further inquiry at this time.