Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will take steps to support clinical research on the impact of menopause and perimenopause on people with Type 1 diabetes mellitus.

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the research delivery arm of the Department, funds a range of research to improve health outcomes for women, including on the impacts of menopause and perimenopause on preexisting conditions such as Type 1 diabetes.

For example, the NIHR is currently funding research to identify disparities in key health outcomes in older women, with a focus on the use of hormone replacement therapy. Amongst other aims, this research will explore whether there are differences in outcomes for women who have health conditions, such as sickle cell disease or diabetes.

In addition, the NIHR funds the infrastructure of the James Lind Alliance (JLA). In 2024, the JLA updated the Priority Setting Partnership on Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus in Adults. One of the top ten priority questions identified for future research is to investigate the impact of hormonal phases such as the perimenstrual period and menopause on glycaemic management, and to identify what treatments are most effective for managing glucose levels around these times.

The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including the impact of menopause and perimenopause on people with Type 1 diabetes.