The Department's National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) funds research to provide the evidence needed to underpin quality improvement and service development in the national health service and through its health technology assessment programme is investing £1 million in a study to gather evidence on the clinical and cost effectiveness of photodynamic therapy for people with age-related macular degeneration.
In addition, two of the NIHR biomedical research centres (BRCs) established this year will be undertaking research concerned with the use of photodynamic therapy. At the University College London hospitals BRC the research will form part of a gastroenterology and hepatology research theme to which £5 million has been allocated over five years. At the Moorfields Eye hospital BRC it will be part of programme of research to do with age-related macular degeneration to which £2.9 million has been allocated over five years.
The Department is also providing NHS support for two trials of photodynamic therapy for biliary tract cancers through the NIHR Cancer Research Network, and for two trials of photodynamic therapy for cancer of the gullet (oesophagus) through the joint Cancer Research UK/NIHR Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre at University College Hospital London.
The Medical Research Council (MRC) is one of the main agencies though which the Government support medical and clinical research. The MRC is an independent body funded by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.
The MRC has in the last six years funded two studies relating to photodynamic therapy at a total cost of £300,000.