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Blind sports lose funding; new sleep drug

Paralympic sports goalball and five-a-side football lose their funding, and a new drug designed to regulate sleep patterns is approved in the US. With Peter White.

Sports for blind competitors lose funding and a new sleep drug approved in the US

Blind team sports Goalball and 5-a-side Blind Football have both lost their funding through UK Sports. With the 2016 Paralympics looming, this may impact on the team's chances of competing and qualifying for the games. Peter White speaks to Liz Nicholl from UK Sport, about why they've taken this decision and what the teams might need to do in order to regain the funding.

The United States Food and Drug Administration has approved a new drug which is said to help regulate the sleep patterns for people who suffer from Non 24-hour sleep disorder - a condition that affects a number of visually impaired people. We hear from a visually impaired woman who suffers from the disorder. We also speak to the company marketing the drug in the United States about the likelihood of the drug being made available in the UK in the future.

Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Lee Kumutat
Editor: Andrew Smith.

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20 minutes

Broadcast

  • Tue 11 Feb 2014 20:40

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