Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department is taking to promote basic science research into (a) TB, (b) HIV/AIDS, (c) malaria and (d) other global health priorities.

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills supports research in these areas through the UK Research Councils, which support a strong portfolio of research addressing different aspects of these diseases and global health priorities. Basic, clinical and translational research into pathogens implicated in human infectious diseases is primarily supported by the Medical Research Council (MRC). Much of the fundamental research in these areas is supported through the MRC’s infections portfolio. This provides the basis for further research funded through targeted support for translation and global health, to ensure that the findings from basic research are translated into practice and new treatments.

A new UK Research and Development Vaccines Network has recently been announced, which will bring together the UK’s leaders in vaccine development and research to focus on the most serious global health threats. Up to £20m will be invested from the outset to focus on the most threatening diseases including Ebola, Lassa, Marburg and Crimean-Congo Fever.

The UK, through the MRC and the Department for International Development, is a member of and contributes funding to the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP), which aims to accelerate the development of new or improved drugs, vaccines, microbicides and diagnostics against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other neglected diseases.

In December 2014 the second phase of the partnership, EDCTP2, was launched with funding of over 1billion euros over the next 10 years from the European Union, the Participating States and third parties. Further information can be found at: http://www.edctp.org/