§ Lord Joplingasked Her Majesty's Government:
What public funding is currently directed to research into Huntington's disease; and [HL375]
What progress has been made in research leading to curing or arresting the spread of Huntingdon's disease in individual sufferers. [HL378]
§ Lord WarnerIn 2002–03 the Medical Research Council spent around £2 million on research into Huntington's disease. The Wales Gene Park, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and the Department of Trade and Industry, has a programme of work on neurogenetics and neuropsychiatric genetics. Currently research is focused on a number of disorders including Huntington's disease. The Department of Health is funding some research of relevance to Huntington's disease, including £1.6 million spent in 2002–03 on research into dementia.
The Chief Medical Officer's report, Stem Cell Research: medical progress with responsibility, published in 2000, considered the potential of embryonic stem cells as a source of new tissues for the treatment of neurological conditions including Huntington's disease. Such research is at a very early stage and it may be several years before therapeutic benefits are available. The Government have made available, through the research councils, £40 million over two years for stem cell research.
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§ Lord Joplingasked Her Majesty's Government:
What are their estimates of the number of deaths each year from Huntington's disease, and the number of current identified sufferers from the disease. [HL376]
§ Lord WarnerThe Office for National Statistics estimates that there are about 176 deaths each year from Huntington's disease. The Huntington's Disease Association estimates that it affects around one person in 10,000 in the United Kingdom.
§ Lord Joplingasked Her Majesty's Government:
Which organisations currently give support to those suffering from Huntington's disease and to their families. [HL377]
§ Lord WarnerThe organisations currently giving support to those suffering from Huntington's disease are the National Health Service and social services. Additional support is given by the Huntington's Disease Association, a voluntary organisation.