Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (Hansard, 4 March 1988)

§ Mr. Tony Banks
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate on a regional basis the number of myalgic encephalomyelitis sufferers; and how many of these are(a) women and (b) men.

§ Mrs. Currie
Information on the incidence of myalgic encephalomyelitis is not available in the form requested.

§ Mr. Tony Banks
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he has taken to ensure that myalgic encephalomyelitis is a recognised viral disease for National Health Service treatment.

§ Mrs. Currie
The National Health Service does recognise myalgic encephalomyelitis which can be a distressing and debilitating condition. However, there is not yet any generally agreed method of treatment, apart from rest.

§ Mr. Tony Banks
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make further resources available for medical research into the myalgic encephalomyelitis syndrome; and if he will list the current research activities being undertaken in medical establishments in both the private and public sector in this field, showing for how long research has been conducted.

§ Mrs. Currie
The main Government agency for the promotion of medical and related biological research is the Medical Research Council, which receives its grant-in-aid from the Department of Education and Science. I understand that although the council is not funding any research directly on myalgic encephalomyelitis, some of the work it is supporting on immune responses to muscle, nerve cells and related structures may be relevant to the understanding and treatment of the condition. The council is always willing to consider soundly-based scientific proposals for research in competition with other demands on its research funds.
Information on research not directly funded by Government agencies is not held centrally. However, I understand that since 1984 research on myalgic encephalomyelitis and related conditions has been carried out at St. Mary's medical school, London, and the regional virus laboratory, Ruchill hospital, Glasgow.