Written question asked by Mark Todd (Labour) on Wednesday, 30 October 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 7 November 2002. It was answered by Hazel Blears (Labour) on Thursday, 7 November 2002 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent research his Department has commissioned into the causes of myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Answer: Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research his Department has commissioned into the causes of myalgic encephalomyelitis. [79186] Ms Blears: The Department has asked the Medical Research Council (MRC), which receives its grant-in- aid from my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Trade And Industry, via the Office of Science and Technology, to develop a broad strategy for advancing biomedical and health services research on chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ ME). The MRC has appointed an independent scientific advisory group, which will draw on the report of the Chief Medical Officer's Working Group, published in January 2002, on other recent expert reviews in this field and on research reported in the peer reviewed literature. The MRC is committed to the development of a research strategy for CFS/ME that will advance understanding of the aetiology, epidemiology and biology of CFS/ME and, in the light of current knowledge, suggest what areas of further research are needed with regard to possible prevention, management (including diagnosis) and treatment.

Secondary information