Dean, Janet

That this House notes that 10th May 2007 is World Lupus Day; recognises that over five million people worldwide have lupus, of whom 90 per cent. are female, and that lupus, although mild in some cases, can be disabling and sometimes fatal, causing many different symptoms including joint and muscle pain, fatigue, depression, kidney, heart, lung and brain involvement, as well as miscarriages; acknowledges that there continues to be an urgent need to increase awareness worldwide of the debilitating impact of lupus; and supports lupus organisations around the globe in calling for increases in public and private sector funding for medical research on lupus, targeted education programmes for health professionals and the public, and worldwide recognition of lupus as a significant public health issue.