§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what research is being conducted into meningitis; and what support is available from the Department of Health to encourage it. [105901]
§ Ms Blears[holding answer 1 April 2003]: Over the last five years, a total of approximately £4 million has been provided to the Centre for Applied Microbiology and 105W Research (CAMR) for meningococcal research. A total of approximately £2 million has been provided to the Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) over the last three years for meningococcal research. In 2001, the Chief Medical Officer commissioned an audit, of £120,000 over two years, of the hospital care of adults with meningococcal disease.
The Department of Health has recently provided £6.1 million over three years to the Vaccine Evaluation Consortium for further vaccine research, some of which relates to meningococcal research. Research into vaccine against Group B meningococcal disease continues as part of the work undertaken by PHLS and CAMR, now the Health Protection Agency.