§ Mr. Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his Department's policy on the condition popularly known as ME; if he will estimate the number of sufferers; what are the current totals of research expenditure; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. CurrieMyalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) is a distressing complaint for which there is at present no agreed medical treatment. Data on incidence are not held centrally. The Department does not currently fund 417W research in this field. Research is taking place at St. Mary's, Paddington. Seriological surveillance studies supported by the Scottish Home and Health Department at the Regional Virus Laboratory, Ruchill hospital, Glasgow, may also throw light on this condition. I understand that good progress on causation has been made by a combined team from the Royal Free and St. Thomas's hospitals.
Other current research into antiviral agents, allergies and immunological mechanisms may also improve knowledge of ME. The Medical Research Council is the main Government agency for the promotion of medical and biological research. Information about total expenditure on research in this field is not held centrally.