§ Mr. EnnisTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the relationship between vitamin B12 and the control of fibroids and the consequences of hormone replacement therapy for fibroids. [54684]
§ Mr. BoatengThe Department has not centrally directly commissioned or undertaken any evaluation into the relationship between vitamin B12 and the control of fibroids and the consequences of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on fibroids.
The Government fund health and medical research through the Medical Research Council (MRC), the Department of Health's Policy Research Programme (PRP), and the National Health Service Research and Development (R&D) Programme.
The MRC is not currently funding any research directly addressing the problems of fibroids. It is supporting a major, long-term trial on the effects of HRT: this will include particularly close monitoring by general practitioners of participants at risk from fibroids, but is not specifically looking into the links between HRT and fibroids. Additionally, the MRC funds research into female reproductive biology, including menstrual problems, which is generally relevant to fibroids.
The Department's PRP and centrally managed NHS R&D programmes are not currently directly commissioning any work in this area. Information is not currently available about other, devolved programmes, including whether any NHS providers are using service support costs funded from the R&D levy to support work in this area. Data are currently being collected and will be available during 1999.