Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much from the public purse the Government spent on research into kidney disease in (a) 2019-20, (b) 2020-21 and (c) 2021-22; and whether the Government plans to increase that funding in future years.

Over the period of 2019/20 to 2021/22, the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) has invested more than £30 million in funding and support for kidney disease research with £14 million in 2019/20, £8 million in 2020/21 and £11 million in 2021/22. Research into kidney disease has included, but is not limited to, projects exploring why people with kidney disease are at increased risk of death and disability following a heart attack, the relationship between COVID-19 and kidney disease and whether aspirin reduces the risk of major vascular events in patients with chronic kidney disease.

NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including kidney disease, 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. Therefore, future spend on kidney disease research over future years is undetermined.