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Huntington's Disease: Research

Question for Department of Health and Social Care

UIN 85019, tabled on 11 November 2022

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of public funding for the research of (a) adult- and (b) juvenile-onset Huntington’s disease.

Answered on

21 November 2022

This answer is a correction from the original answer.

The Government primarily funds research into rare conditions, such as Huntington’s disease and Juvenile-onset Huntington’s disease, via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

From 2017/18 to 2021/22, funding for research into Huntington’s disease was £32.6 million and in 2021/22, expenditure was £4.9 million. The NIHR and UKRI welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including adult Huntington’s disease and Juvenile-onset Huntington’s disease. While it is not usual practice to ring-fence funds for particular topics or conditions, the NIHR and UKRI award funding through open competition to ensure the highest quality research is funded.

Original answer

The Government primarily funds research into rare conditions, such as Huntington’s disease and Juvenile-onset Huntington’s disease, via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

From 2017/18 to 2021/22, funding for research into Huntington’s disease was £32.6 million and in 2021/22, expenditure was £4.5 million. The NIHR and UKRI welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including adult Huntington’s disease and Juvenile-onset Huntington’s disease. While it is not usual practice to ring-fence funds for particular topics or conditions, the NIHR and UKRI award funding through open competition to ensure the highest quality research is funded.