Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent funding has been made available for research into myalgic encephalomyelitis.

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), on behalf of the Department, funded £1,495,363 of programme research on myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), over the last three financial years (up to 2017/18). Further information on this research is available through the NIHR Journals Library at the following link:

https://www.journalslibrary.nihr.ac.uk/programmes/

The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including ME/CFS; it is not usual practice to ring-fence funds for particular topics or conditions. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in 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.