HC Deb 26 November 1981 vol 13 cc455-6W
Mrs. Renée Short

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many human pituitary glands to produce growth hormone have been collected during 1981 to date; and what are the figures for each year since 1975.

Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg

Responsibility for the United Kingdom collection of pituitary glands for the production of human growth hormone lay with the Medical Research Council until July 1980, when it was assumed by the Department of Health and Social Security. The number of glands contributed to the national collection since then is as follows:

Numbers
July-December 1980: 13,788
1 January-20 November 1981: 36,883

I regret that earlier figures are not readily available.