Written question asked by David Clelland (Labour) on Tuesday, 12 May 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 14 May 2009. It was answered by Ann Keen (Labour) on Tuesday, 19 May 2009 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Osteoglophonic Dysplasia

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what medical research his Department has commissioned recently on methods to increase detection rates of development dysplasia of the hip in the first 12 weeks of a baby's life;

Answer: The number of children under the age of 10 years who are diagnosed with developmental dysplasia of the hip is not collected centrally.Data relating to the specific cost to the national health service of treating children under the age of 12 years with late-diagnosed development dysplasia of the hip is not collected centrally.The Department is not currently funding research into dysplasia of the hip in newborn children. However, there has been an Ultrasonography in the diagnosis and management of developmental hip dysplasia trial (UK Hip Trial) conducted at 33 hospitals in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland by researchers from Oxford and London Universities. This found no significant benefits in costs from screening with ultrasound rather than the Barlow and Ortolani tests used currently.The Medical Research Council, one of the main agencies through which the Government support medical and clinical research, although not currently funding any research directly relating to developmental dysplasia of the hip, is funding the UK resource of new models of bone and mineral disorders, a £1.86 million research project, which may lead to further understanding of the condition.

Secondary information