Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support clinical research into infantile spasms.

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including infantile spasms. It is not usual practice to ring-fence funds for particular topics or conditions. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.

Since November 2016, the NIHR has supported seven studies on infantile spasms.