§ Earl Howeasked Her Majesty's Government:
What research they have recently sponsored, or are aware of, into familial hyperlipidaemia. [HL3544]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath)The main government agency for research into the causes of and treatments for disease is the Medical Research Council (MRC) which receives its funding via the Department of Trade and Industry. The MRC Clinical Sciences Centre currently has two groups whose research is directly relevant to familial hyperlipidaemias (inherited metabolic disorders). They are the Molecular Medicine Group, led by Professor James Scott, and the Lipoprotein Team, led by Drs A K Soutar and B L Knight. The MRC's relevant expenditure for 2000–01 is estmated at £871,000. This figure does not include other research that may be relevant to these disorders but not specifically looking at them.
In addition, the MRC always welcomes high quality applications for support into any aspect of human health. These are judged in open competition with other demands on funding. Awards are made according to their scientific quality and importance to human health.
The Department of Health funds research to support policy and the delivery of effective practice in health and social care. The department does not currently fund any research focusing specifically on familial hyperlipidaemia but it funds research projects that may have some relevance to this condition. Current research projects include two prospective cohort studies on risk factors for cardiovascular disease, both of which include blood lipid levels, and a systematic review of the long-term outcomes of the treatments for obesity and implications for health improvement and the economic consequences for the National Health Service.
98WARecently completed research projects include those on cost-effectiveness of screening for hypercholesterolaemia versus case finding for familial hypercholesterolaemia and cost-effectiveness of the statins.
In addition to specific projects, the Department of Health provides NHS support funding for research commissioned by the research councils and charities that take place in the NHS. Details of ongoing and recently completed research projects funded by, or of interest to, the NHS are available on the National Research Register (NRR at www.doh.gov.uk/research. The NRR currently shows five ongoing and eight completed projects relating to familial hyperlipidaemia.