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 public research investment into health conditions like Myalgic Encephalomyelitis keep pace with recent private sector advances, including the publication on 4 December 2025 by Precision Life of their identification of core genes and 7,555 associated genetic variants linked to the disease.

The Department funds research on health and social care through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR and the Medical Research Council (MRC), part of UK Research and Innovation, are committed to funding high-quality research to understand the causes, consequences, and treatment for post-acute infection conditions such as myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), and long COVID.

On 6 November, the NIHR and the MRC hosted a showcase event for post-acute infection conditions. This brought together people with lived experience, researchers, clinicians, and funders to help stimulate further research in this field. This included representatives from Precision Life and the LOCOME study, as well as the DecodeME study, which is co-funded by the NIHR and the MRC. Emerging evidence from projects such as LOCOME and DecodeME will be reviewed to ensure future research reflects both scientific progress and patient needs.

The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including ME/CFS and long COVID. Research funding is available, and applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.