§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were treated for stomach ulcers in each of the last three years; and what percentage of these patients were treated with maintenance therapy.
§ Mr. SackvilleThe information shown in the table relates to finished consultant episodes where the primary diagnosis was for gastric ulcer. Details of medication given to individuals are not available centrally.
519W
Year Number 1989–90 24,717 1990–91 23,469 11991–92 24,075 1 Preliminary estimate.
§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what research her Department has undertaken into the cause of stomach ulcers and the link with the bacteria helicobacter pylori;
(2) what research her Department has undertaken into the use of triple therapy through the use of antibiotics as a means of treating stomach ulcers.
§ Mr. SackvilleThe Department of Health has not undertaken any research on either topic.
The main agency through which the Government support biomedical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council, which receives its grant in aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. The MRC is an independent body deciding what research to do on its own expert judgment. The council is always willing to consider for support soundly based new scientific proposals in competition with other applications.
In 1992–93 the MRC spent £1.44 million on research into the gastro-intestinal tract, and a further £9 million on research which may have some relevance to the gastro-intestinal tract.
§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the NHS drugs bill is accounted for by the prescribing of Tagamet and Zantac; and how much the NHS spends on these drugs per year.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThe information cannot be published in the form requested because of commercial confidentiality.