MP Andrew Bowie welcomes £50m MND funding
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MP Andrew Bowie has welcomed the delivery of a £50 million motor neurone disease fund by the UK Government.
This week it was announced an initial £29.5 million will go to assist UK-based researchers at world-leading biomedical science centres.
Another £20.5 million has also been committed for use in MND treatment research, available through the normal academic process.
The West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine MP says the announcement will bring an “almost immediate” boost to MND sufferers and their families across the north-east.
Mr Bowie said: “Motor neurone is a horrible and cruel disease and my thoughts are with anyone suffering from its devastating effects.
“This money will help Britain’s world-leading researchers find a cure — and help to cut the bureaucracy in their bid to do so.
“I know people across the north-east have been inspired by the bravery of Doddie Weir and so many others. He was a hero in my childhood and remains so for us all, today.
“Fundraising and awareness campaigns have significantly boosted UK-led research at the likes of the Francis Crick Institute, and a new form of testing by the UK Dementia Research Institute.
“We will beat this disease together and I am confident this funding will have almost immediate results on finding a cure.”
Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay and Business Secretary Grant Shapps announced that the government will cut red tape in order to speed up research into MND across the UK, with immediate investment so NHS patients can benefit from cutting-edge treatment and medicines.
This will be done through Biomedical Research Centres – which are collaborations between academics and clinicians to translate breakthroughs in the lab into potential new treatments, diagnostics and medical technologies – to get funding to the most promising researchers who are already working in MND.
As well as this, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and Medical Research Council (MRC) will work together to ensure proposals are referred to the most appropriate scheme for consideration at the early idea stage.
This presents an opportunity for outstanding researchers to get further funding beyond the initial £50 million to get new treatments from the lab to patients.
The Health and Social Care Secretary will also host leading researchers and patient groups at a roundtable to discuss their research on MND, and how they can access this additional funding and ensure bids are made – this will ensure an open dialogue of communication.
Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said: "Motor neurone disease can have a devastating impact on people’s lives, and I’m determined to help accelerate research to find a cure and develop innovative treatments.
"We’ve already invested millions to improve treatments and our understanding of this condition, but there’s more we can do, and that’s why I’m now slashing red tape to fast-track funding and ensure it reaches frontline researchers more quickly.
"I’m grateful to the United to End MND campaign for their work raising awareness and I warmly congratulate Kevin Sinfield on his epic achievement completing seven ultra-marathons, as well as remembering the late Doddie Weir for his outstanding contribution over the past five years.
Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Grant Shapps said: "Some of the UK’s brightest and best scientific minds are battling to find treatments – and one day, a cure – for the cruel and devastating condition that is motor neurone disease.
"We have invested millions of pounds in supporting them in that fight, but we are committed to doing more.
"The measures will cut unnecessary red tape, getting that vital funding to the front line faster, as well as investing more in the crucial work that our world-leading scientists and researchers are doing.
Last year, £50 million was committed to MND research over the next five years by the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, reinforcing progress being made by the UK’s world-leading scientists.
Recent successes include stem cell research by the Francis Crick Institute to investigate the molecular processes that cause the disease, and the development by the UK Dementia Research Institute (DRI) of a new form of testing for MND, which is now being used in a clinical trial to assess the effectiveness of a new treatment.
The government is now accelerating £29.5 million of the committed funding into specialist research centres and partnerships with leading researchers to reduce bureaucracy and help researchers access funding as quickly as possible.
The funding will support researchers to:
- Better understand the disease and its related conditions.
- Develop and test treatments.
- Eventually give people living with the condition the chance of a better quality of life, and more good years with their loved ones.
