HC Deb 19 February 1997 vol 290 cc625-6W
Mr. Morgan

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the current research projects into meningitis (a) to which his Department has provided funds and (b) which other Government agencies have funded; and what proposals he has to increase the level and range of such research projects. [15372]

Mr. Horam

[holding answer 11 February 1997]: The Department of Health supports a number of research projects into meningitis through both the policy research programme and the National Health Service Executive. The PRP commissioned a two-year clinical trial of candidate meningococcal vaccines in 1993 at a total cost of £198,528. More research is needed before their suitability for widespread use can be considered. The Department is currently working with the Public Health Laboratory Service, the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control and the Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research to take this work forward. We also collaborate internationally in this area, for example the UK and Dutch health departments are working together to accelerate the development of group B meningococcal vaccines.

Since 1993, the NHS Executive has supported a number of meningitis-related research projects worth £220,000. This includes a current study: neurodevelopmental examination at nine years of age of children who suffered neonatal meningitis. This is funded through North Thames regional office at a cost of £80,000.

The main agency through which the Government support biomedical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council. The MRC received its grant in aid from the Office of Science and Technology, which is part of the Department of Trade and Industry. Current projects receiving support from the MRC are listed as follows:

MRC-supported meningitis research

Indirect Support

Project grants

  1. 1. Dr. D. J. Maskell, Department of Biochemistry, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London—The molecular genetics of lipid A-KDO biosynthesis by Haemophilus influenzae and Neisseria meningitidis.
  2. 2. Professor J. E. Heckels, Department of Molecular Microbiology, University of Southampton—Antigens from meningococcal outer membrane proteins as vaccine candidates.
  3. 3. Dr. D. Ala'Aldeen, Dr. I. Todd and Professor S. P. Boriello, Department of Microbiology, University of Nottingham—Identification of T-cell epitopes involved in protective immunity to meningococcal infection.
  4. 4. Professor J. R. Saunders, Department of Genetics and Microbiology, University of Liverpool—Pilin variation and glycosylation in modulating pilus mediated adherence of Neisseria meningitidis to human cells.
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  5. 5. Dr. H. Palmer, Institute of Infections and Immunity, University of Nottingham—Development of a pig model for meningococcal meningitis.

Strategic project grant Professor S. P. Boriello, Department of Microbiology, University of Nottingham—Clinical research Initiative in bacterial infections: determinants of tissue damage is bacterial infections.

Programme grant Professor E. R. Moxon, Molecular Infectious Diseases Group, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford—Molecular basis of Haemophilus influenza pathogenicity.

Infrastructure grant Professor P. S. Watt and Professor S. T. Holgate—Mucosal Immunology—A Protein engineering laboratory for studies on vaccine design and asthma research.

Direct support MRC Laboratories, The Gambia—An efficacy study of the Haemophilus influenzae Type b (Hib) polysaccaride-protein conjugate vaccine, PRP-T in The Gambia.