§ Sir Bernard Braineasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many women have so far agreed to take part in the tests being conducted by the Medical Research Council involving multivitamin pills being given to expectant mothers who are considered to be at risk of having a spina bifida child;
(2) why the Medical Research Council will not publish a comprehensive list of medical centres where trials are being given carried out involving multivitamin pills being given to 2,000 expectant mothers who are considered to be at risk of having a spina bifida child.
§ Mr. BrookeThis Medical Research Council trial has been under way only since the summer of last year and, as is the case with all clinical trials at this stage, it is not yet possible to give useful information about progress. As I stated in the House on 16 January 1984, in answer to a question from the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson), of the 20 British centres which have expressed interest, 11 now have local ethical approval to proceed and discussions continue with others. The council expects to be able to provide a list of participating centres once discussions with them are complete. This should be possible by the end of June.