§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps are planned to ensure that there are sufficient supplies of the human growth hormone in the coming and future years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Dr. VaughanIn 1980 a new facility was started at the Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research— CAMR—to produce human growth hormone from human pituitary glands. A second source of processing has been arranged from 1981. Processing has been planned on the basis of demand now and the probable demand in the next few years.
It seems likely that in three to four years' time the material could be available from a genetically engineered source. Development work on a production by this process started in 1980 in a joint programme between CAMR and Kabivitrum AB. In the meantime, the Department is doing its best to ensure that sufficient pituitary glands are available.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what numbers of human growth hormones were extracted from pituitary glands in 1980; and how this compares with the figures for the previous five years.
§ Dr. VaughanUnited Kingdom supplies of human growth hormone during 1980 amounted to 511,785 international units. Figures for prevous years were:
lU's 1979 409,270 1978 445,770 The Department took over responsibility from the Medical Reseach Council for supply in mid-1977. Figures for years prior to 1978 are not readily available.