Sir, The gross discrepancy in research funding between cancer and the increasingly prevalent degenerative and inflammatory diseases highlighted by Terry Pratchett and Dr Guy Brown (times2, March 17) results from relentless advertising campaigns that do not reflect the true proportionate burden of these diseases in society.

The discrepancies highlighted in the article did not mention the other main area of neglect in terms of service provision and research and which is the leading cause of death in those aged under 40.

Injury causes more deaths than both cancer and heart disease in this age group, and for each death there are two survivors with serious or permanent disabilities. Last year a national report was published concerned with the treatment of the injured. It clearly demonstrated that 60 per cent of the approximately 250 severely injured patients who turn up each week at UK hospitals receive less than ideal care.

Yet this plague on the young, where each death leads to an average loss of life of 36 years (approximately three times the figure for most cancer deaths) receives but 0.3 per cent of research funding.

Sir Miles Irving
Corbridge, Northumberland

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