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Written Question
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Research
Wednesday 27th March 2024

Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide funding for biomedical research into (1) the causes of, and (2) potential cures for, myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department provides funding for research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including on the causes of, and potential cures for, myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made based on the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality. In all disease areas, the amount of NIHR funding depends on the volume and quality of scientific activity.

In the last five years, the NIHR has allocated approximately £3.44 million to support nine research projects on ME and chronic fatigue syndrome. The NIHR is also co-funding, with the Medical Research Council, a £3.2 million study (‘DecodeME’) which is the world’s largest genetic study of the disease.


Written Question
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Research
Tuesday 12th March 2024

Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Sunderland West)

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to support research into (a) understanding, (b) treating and (c) curing Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Medical Research Council (MRC) has invested in research into Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) for many years, awarding £6.6m in this area since 2012. This includes through DecodeME, the world’s largest ME/CSF study, via strategic co-funding with the National Institute of Health and Care Research, which aims to find genetic factors to better understand ME/CFS disease pathways and unlock future treatment pathways.

We continue to encourage high-quality proposals across our funding opportunities, maintaining an open highlight notice to encourage ME/CFS research. MRC also co-funded the ME/CFS Priority Setting Partnership to identify research priorities for ME/CFS, led by people with ME/CFS, their carers and clinicians, and facilitated by Action for M.E.


Written Question
Chronic Illnesses: Research
Tuesday 12th March 2024

Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Sunderland West)

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how the Government plans to allocate funding for research into (a) myalgic encephalomyelitis and (b) other post-viral diseases.

Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Medical Research Council (MRC) has invested in research into Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) for many years, awarding £6.6m in this area since 2012. This includes through DecodeME, the world’s largest ME/CSF study, via strategic co-funding with the National Institute of Health and Care Research, which aims to find genetic factors to better understand ME/CFS disease pathways and unlock future treatment pathways.

We continue to encourage high-quality proposals across our funding opportunities, maintaining an open highlight notice to encourage ME/CFS research. MRC also co-funded the ME/CFS Priority Setting Partnership to identify research priorities for ME/CFS, led by people with ME/CFS, their carers and clinicians, and facilitated by Action for M.E.


Written Question
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Research
Tuesday 12th March 2024

Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Sunderland West)

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what research the Medical Research Council is funding on the (a) causes and (b) treatment of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Medical Research Council (MRC) has invested in research into Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) for many years, awarding £6.6m in this area since 2012. This includes through DecodeME, the world’s largest ME/CSF study, via strategic co-funding with the National Institute of Health and Care Research, which aims to find genetic factors to better understand ME/CFS disease pathways and unlock future treatment pathways.

We continue to encourage high-quality proposals across our funding opportunities, maintaining an open highlight notice to encourage ME/CFS research. MRC also co-funded the ME/CFS Priority Setting Partnership to identify research priorities for ME/CFS, led by people with ME/CFS, their carers and clinicians, and facilitated by Action for M.E.


Written Question
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Long Covid
Friday 8th March 2024

Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Sunderland West)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what research the National Institute for Health and Care Research is undertaking on the potential link between Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and long covid.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government has invested more than £50 million into 22 research projects for long COVID, through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and UK Research and Innovation.

In the last five years, the NIHR has allocated approximately £3.44 million to support nine research projects on myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) and chronic fatigue syndrome. The NIHR is also co-funding, with the Medical Research Council, a £3.2 million study called DecodeME, which is the world’s largest genetic study of the disease.

The Department commissions research through the NIHR. It is not currently specifically funding research on potential links between ME and long COVID, but it welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health.


Written Question
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Research
Friday 8th March 2024

Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Sunderland West)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to fund research to (a) tackle the causes of and (b) treat Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department commissions research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including on the causes and treatment of myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME).

In the last five years, the NIHR has allocated approximately £3.44 million to support nine research projects on ME and chronic fatigue syndrome. The NIHR is also co-funding, with the Medical Research Council, a £3.2 million study called DecodeME, which is the world’s largest genetic study of the disease.


Written Question
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Research
Tuesday 5th December 2023

Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to help facilitate research into the (a) causes and (b) treatment of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Since 2012, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)’s Medical Research Council (MRC) has awarded £6.2 million for research on myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). This includes DecodeME, a significant strategic initiative co-funded by the National Institute of Health and Care Research in 2020, which aims to find genetic causes of ME/CFS in order to better understand the disease and ultimately to find treatments.

The Government works with the ME/CFS Priority Setting Partnership to identify research priorities in this area and MRC has an open highlight notice to encourage ME/CFS research.


Written Question
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Research
Tuesday 5th December 2023

Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of increasing public funding for research into Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Since 2012, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)’s Medical Research Council (MRC) has awarded £6.2 million for research on myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). This includes DecodeME, a significant strategic initiative co-funded by the National Institute of Health and Care Research in 2020, which aims to find genetic causes of ME/CFS in order to better understand the disease and ultimately to find treatments.

The Government works with the ME/CFS Priority Setting Partnership to identify research priorities in this area and MRC has an open highlight notice to encourage ME/CFS research.


Written Question
Viral Diseases: Research
Tuesday 21st November 2023

Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of financial support for medical research into post-viral conditions.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). In recent years, the NIHR has made major strategic investments in long COVID and myalgic encephalomyelitis (also known as chronic fatigue syndrome) and is exploring additional research in these areas. No specific assessment has been made of the adequacy of financial support for medical research into post-viral conditions as a whole.

The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including post-viral conditions. These applications are subject to peer review and judged through 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. In all disease areas, the amount of NIHR funding depends on the volume and quality of scientific activity.


Written Question
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Research
Friday 17th November 2023

Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)

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 ensure that funding for biomedical research into myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) is adequate; and whether he plans to take steps to establish a centre of excellence on ME to (a) promote understanding of and (b) develop effective treatments for that illness.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR has provided around £4.4 million of programme funding for research on myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) since 2011.

Through the NIHR, the Department has co-funded, with the Medical Research Council (MRC) a £3.2 million study called DecodeME into the genetic underpinning of ME/CFS. The study will analyse samples from 25,000 people with ME/CFS to search for genetic differences that may indicate underlying causes or an increased risk of developing the condition. This study aims to increase our understanding of the disease and therefore contribute to the research base on diagnostic tests and targeted treatments for ME/CFS.

The Department and the NIHR has no specific plans to establish a centre of excellence for ME research. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including biomedical research for ME/CFS. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made based on the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality. In all disease areas, the amount of NIHR funding depends on the volume and quality of scientific activity.