Charity calls for ‘tinnitus biobank’ as UK marks Tinnitus Week

A ‘tinnitus biobank’ of biological data on the condition could deliver a “step-change” when it comes to finding a cure, according to the British Tinnitus Association (BTA).

In a white paper shared at the start of this year’s Tinnitus Week, the charity said investment in the scheme would reassure tinnitus sufferers that “their condition is being taken seriously”.

“A Tinnitus Biobank could allow us to understand the condition much better and answer many questions that, thanks to chronic underinvestment, so far remain unanswered.”It could fast-track our route to finding the underlying causes, ways to test, identifying genetic biomarkers and uncovering the links between tinnitus and other co-morbidities.

“We know that particular challenges, such as the lack of an objective measure of tinnitus, hold back investment in the pursuit of a cure. If we are able to level the playing field, give the pharmaceutical companies the tools they need and communicate effectively that these tools are available, then we can usher in a new era in tinnitus treatment development.

“When you consider that we could do all of this for around 1% of the annual cost of treating tinnitus, it represents excellent value for the health service too,” said the BTA’s Chief Executive, David Stockdale.

The charity is now calling on the government to support their proposal and speed up the work of the Department of Health and Social Care’s Adult Hearing Loss and Tinnitus Working Group.

This is in addition to calls for £4 million to be donated to support the biobank’s creation – a sum which is just over 0.5% of the £750 million annual cost to the NHS for treating tinnitus.

A tinnitus biobank has also been backed by scientists, with Christopher Cederroth, from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden describing it as an “essential step forward”.

Dr Will Sedley, Academic Clinical Lecturer in Neuroscience at Newcastle University, added: “A tinnitus biobank would have detailed and rigorous tinnitus data from very large numbers of people. It could therefore move the field forwards in ways that have not been possible so far, for instance in pinning down underlying mechanisms, and identifying distinct subtypes which may have different causes, impacts, prognoses and treatment responses.”

People interested in supporting the Tinnitus Biobank project can sign up to receive further information and register their interest in taking part.

More information about Tinnitus Week, which runs from 7 February to 13 February, can also be found on the BTA’s website.

Photo: British Tinnitus Association.

By Liam O’Dell. Liam is an award-winning Deaf freelance journalist and campaigner from Bedfordshire. He can be found talking about disability, theatre, politics and more on Twitter and on his website.