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BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION HIGHLIGHT IMPORTANCE OF FUNDING FOR LIFE SAVING RESEARCH

February 10, 2015 11:09 AM

Local MP for Cheadle constituency Mark Hunter attended a British Heart Foundation (BHF) campaign launch, calling on the next government to guarantee the future of the science budget to protect life-saving research.

Mark joined heart patient Emily Sullivan, 8, for a science lesson to highlight the importance of charities being able to continue funding medical research. Emily has had three open heart surgeries after being born with three large holes in her heart, a condition that more and more people are surviving because of BHF research.

Medical research charities, like the BHF, rely on government investment to pay for the indirect costs of research, such as lighting, electricity and heating for laboratories. Without government support, the BHF's ability to fund world class research to prevent and treat cardiovascular disease (CVD) would be significantly reduced.

For every £1 charities spend directly on medical research, the Government pays 26p to help fund the indirect costs. The BHF is calling on the next government to maintain the current ring-fencing of the science budget and to commit to future increases.

Commenting, Mark said:

"Charities are an essential part of the UK medical research environment and the science budget is vital to supporting their research. By funding the day-to-day running of science facilities, the next government will ensure that researchers can concentrate on finding the next life-saving cure.

"If we are to prevent and treat devastating conditions like cardiovascular disease in places like Cheadle constituency, we need continued investment in pioneering research and to guarantee the future of the science budget."

Professor Peter Weissberg, Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation, said:

"If the UK is to maintain its strong position in biomedical research, the next government must guarantee the future of the science budget. Every single research grant we fund is underpinned by Government investment in universities.

"This fund is a vital partnership between Government, charity and universities and any cut to it would be extremely damaging to our life saving research and the fight against heart disease."