The Real Cost Of The Economic Recession

This only confirms what too many charity workers have learnt the hard way during the recession.

Life-saving research is threatened by the recession and government needs to step in to help medical charities weather the storm, campaigners say.

Small organisations are particularly at risk as they have far fewer resources to draw upon, the Association of Medical Research Charities warns.

A poll of its 117 members found 25% say they will cut their spending this year.

The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign says it has already turned down 50% of research grant applications.

The charity, which investigates the neuromuscular conditions which can kill sufferers in their teens, said it had recently rejected four out of eight research proposals on grounds of cost not quality.

Its chief executive Philip Butcher said they were now on “on the cusp of a breakthrough into curative treatment.

“The hopes of families have never been higher. At the same time we also find the charity’s income under massive pressure due to the economic situation. This year we have had to reduce our research budget by 15% to balance the books. Who knows what will happen next year?”

Unfortunately, the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign is not alone. The recession has forced many other small charities to make serious changes to cut costs, with some even being forced to consider closing down.

If this situation is allowed to continue, the real cost of the recession will not be financial. I know that the government has many other important things to do. However, if they did step in to help medical charities through the recession, they might just save the lives of many disabled people. Peronally, I can’t think of anything better than that. Maybe, just maybe, it would be possible if they spent less money on things like this.