Dementia research receives £22m funding initiative

Despite closing in on the Christmas period, the Government has made significant announcements this week on the ever-present issue of dementia.

Having begun its ‘Dementia Challenge’ this year which, amongst other things, calls for the development of dementia-friendly communities and the recruitment of one million volunteers, the Coalition continues to prioritise mental health with the announcement of £22m of fresh funding to boost dementia research, as well as the launch of six pilot projects that will focus on improving access to psychological therapies.

Twenty-one pioneering research projects have been identified as worthy of a slice of the funding, after a showcase hosted by the Department of Health in October obtained the advice of 150 global leaders in dementia.

Welcoming the ‘themed dementia call’ from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) which led to the funding announcement, chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Society Jeremy Hughes comments:

“Dementia is the greatest health and social care challenge of our time and defeating it needs to be a priority for society. As it stands, there are currently more clinical trials into hayfever than there are into some of the most common forms of dementia.

“One in three people over the age of 65 will develop dementia. We need an all out fightback, the likes of which we have seen against cancer over the last 50 years. This funding will give hope to the 800,000 people living with dementia and boost the efforts Alzheimer’s Society is already making to find a cure for the condition.”

£14m of the funding will go towards Alzheimer’s Society-related projects that, among other key objectives, will explore ways to improve hospital care and the use of drugs in treating the condition.

On a visit to pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly's UK dementia research centre, in Windlesham, health secretary Jeremy Hunt commented:

“The UK has a firm ambition to become a world leader in dementia research. It is home to some of the world’s best dementia researchers and specialist research facilities, and this Government is committed to supporting them.

“To make a real difference to research, Government must respond to the barriers the industry faces. It is vital that we can translate the excellent work happening in our laboratories across the country into treatments that can help people live well with dementia today, whilst ultimately working towards finding a cure.”