§ Mr. Amessasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on co-operation with other nations on research for treatment of AIDS.
§ Mr. NewtonIn February 1987 my right hon. Friend, the then Secretary of State for Social Services, announced that the Government were granting to the Medical Research Council £14½ million over three years for a directed programme of research for the development of a vaccine for prevention and drugs for the treatment of AIDS. Following this the council is developing a programme of research to study the treatment of AIDS and HIV infection. The council has also established a therapeutic trials committee.
The council and the DHSS maintain close contact with European research through the EC medical and health research programme which includes research on AIDS, and with the World Health Organisation which is co-ordinating world-wide action on AIDS.
Research on antiviral treatment for AIDS and other Medical Research Council therapeutic investigations are to be co-ordinated with those undertaken in other countries.
Mr. John Mark Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he proposes to launch a further phase of the AIDS publicity campaign.
§ Mr. NewtonWe will be launching a new phase of the campaign to warn of the dangers of transmitting AIDS through injecting drug use in early September. This will run in parallel with the next stage of the Government's drug prevention campaign.