Mental Illness: Drugs
Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department (a) has commissioned and (b) plans to commission on the social, economic and health costs of brain damage as a result of excessive and long-term use of legally prescribed benzodiazepines. [70291]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department has not commissioned, and has no plans to commission research specifically on the social, economic and health costs of brain damage as a result of excessive and long-term use of legally prescribed benzodiazepines.
The Department’s National Institute for Health Research welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including use of benzodiazepines. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the scientific quality of the proposals made.