§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what provision he is proposing to increase the level of research into staphylococcus aureus and enterococcus faecium and the development of antibiotics to counteract them; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WaldegraveAs part of its clinical research initiative in Nottingham, the Medical Research Council is building up support for several groups studying bacterial infections. One of them has a particular interest in staphylococcal infections. The council is also reviewing the literature relating to septic shock, especially in relation to possible studies of monoclonal antibody therapy. In addition, the Public Health Laboratory Service—a non-departmental public body—is undertaking surveillance programmes to monitor the incidence of multiple antibiotic resistance to staphylococcus aureus and to enterococcus faecium. The development of new antibiotics is principally a matter for the pharmaceutical industry.