Written question asked by Rob Wilson (Conservative) on Friday, 6 October 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 9 October 2006. It was answered by Andy Burnham (Labour) on Tuesday, 17 October 2006 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Myalgic Encephalopathy

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures the Government are undertaking to ensure that adequate research is undertaken into the (a) causes and (b) treatment of myalgic encephalopathy.

Answer: The main agency through which the Government supports medical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council (MRC). The MRC is an independent body funded by the Department of Trade and Industry via the Office of Science and Technology.The MRC does not normally allocate funds to particular topics; research proposals in all areas compete for the funding available. When appropriate, high quality research in particular areas of strategic importance may be given priority in competition for funds, but research excellence and importance to health continues to be the primary considerations in funding decisions.The MRC produced a research strategy on chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) in May 2003. The purpose of the strategy is to enable researchers to develop research proposals on all aspects of this illness. It was developed by an independent research advisory group in response to a request from the Chief Medical Officer, and was informed by contributions from patients, carers, charities, patient groups, researchers and clinicians via a consultation exercise.

Secondary information