Former Care Minister claims dementia research is underfunded

Former Care Minister Paul Burstow has called for more investment in dementia research to enable scientists to find a cure and better treatments.

The Liberal Democrat MP, was speaking during a backbench debate in Parliament and claimed that research into the condition was lagging behind other diseases and called for resources to be brought in line with that of cancer.

He said: “I have to say that in my time as minister I found myself increasingly frustrated - frustrated by what I saw as a poverty of ambition when measured against the burden of disease that dementia represents.

“I think we still have lessons to learn from the journey that the cancer movement in research has gone through. We need a long-term plan for dementia research and a sustained increase in funding for at least the next decade.”

The Rt Hon Paul Burstow MP was the Minister of State for Care Services from May 2010 until September 2012.

A spokeswoman for the Alzheimer’s Society called the commitment by the Government to double funding in dementia research by 2015 a “welcome boost” but said: “We must do more if we are to make the advancements we need. As well as investment we must also look at different routes of developing treatments, including looking at whether existing drugs for other conditions could have benefits.”

She added: “Dementia is the biggest health and social care challenge of our generation. There is still no cure and very few treatments. Despite this, there are currently 150 times fewer clinical trials being carried out on Alzheimer’s than on late stage cancer.”