RIYADH, 3 June 2003 — The Prince Salman Center for Disability Research (PSCDR) will set up a founders’ council for sponsoring research on metabolic disorders which, if not treated at an early stage, could cause permanent disabilities among children.
Prince Sultan ibn Salman, secretary-general of the PSCDR, announced here yesterday that the founders’ council would have 50 members, with each contributing SR5 million as share capital. He said 40 businessmen and philanthropists had so far been lined up as founder members. The amount is payable either in lump sum or in installments. The full composition of the council would be announced in the fall.
Prince Sultan also said the council would support research on 17 genetic diseases this year. To this end, the prince earlier signed a contract with King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center for two laboratories dedicated to research in the area.
Another agreement, signed with the Ministry of Health, calls for a newborn screening program to prevent disabilities among babies. Dr. Stephen R. Schroader, executive director of the PSCDR and Dr. Mohamed Rashed, head, Metabolic Screening Laboratory, explained at a briefing held earlier at the center that 15 out of 30 congenital diseases are treatable at the stage of inception.
