Myotonic Dystrophy and Sexual Health: Funding

Bob Spink
To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether her Department plans to fund research into (a) myotonic dystrophy and (b) sexually transmitted diseases between 2006 and 2010; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham
The Department's genetics programme is funding a four-year project on gene therapy for muscular dystrophy. The project is due to be completed the end of 2008.

The Department supports a research programme on sexual health and HIV that is managed on its behalf by the Medical Research Council (MRC). In this way, the MRC is able to coordinate the work of the programme with its broader portfolio of national and international research on sexual health and HIV. The programme is set to continue—a recent tender has led to some40 applications for funding on which decisions will be made next year.

The Department's national research programmes are funding a number of ongoing projects concerned with sexually transmitted disease. Details of these canbe found on the national research register at www.dh.gov.uk/research. The Department has also commissioned a two-year project to test access for screening and treatment of genital Chlamydia infection in a community pharmacy setting. Findings from the research will be available in late 2007.