Letter: Research on schizophrenia to continue

Sir: Professor Murray is entirely correct when he says (Letters, 14 January) that the Medical Research Council is closing the Clinical Research Centre at Northwick Park Hospital.

What he does not say, however, is that most of the research work now done there, including that on schizophrenia, will continue

elsewhere.

In an attempt to strengthen our clinical research capacity, the MRC plans to move scientific teams from the Clinical Research Centre into a number of hospitals around the country. The schizophrenia health care now provided at Northwick Park Hospital will continue to be available; it is only the research team that will move.

Finding better treatments for schizophrenia sufferers continues to be a high priority for the MRC. We are well aware of the distress that this disease causes to both patients and their families, and to this end we spent pounds 16.7m on research into mental illness in the last financial year.

Yours faithfully,

MARY RICE

Medical Research Council

London, W1

15 January