SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH INTO MYALGIC ENCEPHALOPATHY/ENCEPHALOMYELITIS

Early day motion 260, tabled 6 June 2005 by David Taylor (Labour). Signed by 229 members.

That this House notes that 2005 is the 50th anniversary of the first description in medical literature of the illness myalgic encephalopathy/encephalomyelitis (ME); is concerned by the subsequent lack of scientific research into the illness during that time, which has been a cause of distress to the quarter million ME sufferers in the UK; reminds the Government of the study, ME: Cost to the Nation, that put the annual economic cost of ME at £3.5 billion; is dismayed to learn that one of the few contemporary scientific studies into the causes of this illness, carried out at Glasgow University, is under threat from lack of funds; and calls on the Government to provide the necessary funds to secure and promote this and other studies into the cause and treatment of ME.

Signatures by party: Labour 109, Conservative 58, Liberal Democrat 48, DUP 5, Plaid Cymru 3, Scottish National Party 3, Independent 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1, UUP 1.