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Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Research

Volume 501: debated on Tuesday 24 November 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research his Department has evaluated on the causes of myalgic encephalomyelitis. (301252)

None.

The Medical Research Council (MRC) is one of the main agencies through which the Government support medical and clinical research. The MRC is an independent body which receives its grant-in-aid from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) continues to be a strategic priority area for funding and the MRC remains committed to supporting scientific research into all aspects of CFS/ME including evaluations of treatments and studies into the biological basis of the condition.

In 2008 a new Expert Group was set up by the MRC to consider how best to encourage new high-quality research into CFS/ME and to bring researchers from associated areas into the field. The Expert Group has met twice, in December 2008 and March 2009.

In addition, the MRC recently held a CFS/ME workshop and a note of the discussions will be published on the MRC website in due course.