§ Mr. PickthallTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the numbers of United Kingdom citizens rendered disabled by Myodil. [19680]
§ Mr. MaloneNone, as this information is not centrally available.
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§ Mr. PickthallTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what representations his Department has received from, and what assistance it has given to(a) the Myodil Action Group and (b) the Arachnoiditis Trust since 1987; [19678]
(2) what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into seeking a cure for arachnoiditis. [19679]
§ Mr. HoramWe have received a number of representations from arachnoiditis sufferers and organisations representing them since 1987. The Government have offered financial assistance to the Arachnoiditis Trust for three years through the general scheme of grants to voluntary organisations under section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 to help fund a pain management nurse. Since making its grant application, the Arachnoiditis Trust has re-assessed its priorities and has declined to take up our offer of funding.
My Department has not directly commissioned research into a cure for arachnoiditis. 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 President of the Board of Trade. The MRC is always willing to consider high quality research proposals.