Drugs: Research

Mr. Hancock
To ask the Secretary of State for Health further to the announcement of 7 June 2007, Official Report, column 30WS, on medicines development, how much financial support the Government have committed to the production and dissemination of the leaflet; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint
The Department of Health and the Department of Trade and Industry contributed £25,000 and £20,000 respectively to the Coalition for Medical Progress in March 2007 for the writing, design, print and distribution of the leaflet on medicines development. The leaflet is available in the Library.

The leaflet was produced in order to raise general public awareness about how medicines are developed, and covers the use of animals in medicines research and testing, through to clinical trials and licensing. It will be available for patients in around 60 per cent. of general practitioner surgeries in England from autumn 2007.