UK: fundings too low for premature birth research

The government was wrong, the charity was right. Last november, Action Medical Research, a UK-based charity, used the Freedom Information Act to obtain informations about the amount of fundings the british government has allocated to medical research for premature bith research. The results showed that in the year 2004/2005 £3.7million ? 0,3% of the total medical budget for that year ? went on studies on premature babies. As initially the Government refused the charity?s claims, aftern a second investigation it has been obliged to admit that the the original figure was accurate. ?The mistake came about because, in preparing our press statement, we drew on a material connected with an earlier enquiry about research into premature birth?, said Colin McDonald , freedom of information officer at the Department of Health. ?This is not a real victory? affirmed a spokesman for the charity involved. ?The figure remains very low and we are looking at this problem as a national emergency?. To awaken public opinion to this issue the charuty is collecting photos and stories in a book to send to the health minister, Patricia Hewitt, and to the minister in charge of research budgets at the Department of Health. www.standupfortinylives.org www.thirdsector.co.uk