Alzheimer's Society pledges £100m to a decade of dementia research at G8 dementia summit

At the first G8 dementia summit, Alzheimer’s Society chief executive Jeremy Hughes has pledged to spend at least £100m over the next decade solely on dementia research.

Taking place at Lancaster House in London, the summit is the first of its kind and is being attended by G8 delegates including ministers, charities and researchers from across the world.

Mr Hughes said: “For the past forty years Alzheimer’s Society has led the fight against dementia. We are pushing the boundaries to bring life-changing research to prevent, care and ultimately cure dementia closer to people with the condition, but we can’t do this alone. We urge governments and organisations worldwide to collaborate, think long-term and make meaningful promises to combat dementia now.”

The extra £100m of funding will be spent over the next ten years in areas such as prevention and treatment, as well as research into the best kinds of support for people living with the daily challenges the disease creates.

During the G8 summit, Prime Minister David Cameron will be announcing plans to increase the amount of Government funding into dementia research which will double public, commercial, and charitable research and development in the UK by 2025.

The Government’s current commitment has already created £52m of funding for dementia research in 2012 and 2013, which will rise to £66m by 2015.

Prime Minister David Cameron said: “Building a more competitive, resilient economy with new industries and the jobs of the future is a key part of my long-term plan for Britain. That’s why we are throwing everything we have at making the UK the place to invest and locate and work in life sciences.

“In the past 2 years we’ve seen £2 billion invested in this country; that will not only mean more jobs and growth, but also more research and greater progress, and it’s a huge sign of confidence in our economy.

“But if we are to beat dementia, we must also work globally, with nations, business and scientists from all over the world working together as we did with cancer, and with HIV and AIDS. Today, we will get some of the most powerful nations around the table in London to agree how we must go forward together, working towards that next big breakthrough.”

The number of people living with dementia globally is predicted to rise from 44 million to 76 million by 2030.

Alzheimer’s Disease International has predicted the number of people with dementia will have trebled by 2050, and said the need for improved dementia support is now greater than ever before.

Peter Curtis, chief executive officer of care group Gracewell Healthcare, highlighted the importance of today’s G8 dementia summit in ensuring the impact of dementia is understood and researched on a global scale.

He said: “For the first time world leaders are coming together to map out a global strategy to tackle this devastating illness head on. The Prime Minister should be applauded for putting dementia at the centre of the UK’s presidency of the G8.

“By bringing together the brightest minds in science and research the world has a much stronger chance of finding genuine and effective treatments for dementia in the coming decades.

“If we put the same resources into dementia as we do in cancer or heart disease, or even HIV, then that ambition may not be a pipedream, it may be a reality quicker than anyone could have ever dared dreamed of.”

Dr Hannah MacKechnie of West Midlands-based Radfield Home Care called it “positive news that the UK is making the fight against dementia global by hosting the first G8 summit” and said: “The new figures published by Alzheimer’s Disease International demonstrate that dementia is sadly not a condition on the decline, and is actually one which will impact on communities poorly placed to deal with it.

“It is commonly assumed that those living with dementia will automatically receive residential care, but this simply isn’t the case. Two thirds of individuals living with the disease here in the UK actually live within the community, with a third of these living on their own – proof that sufferers can lead a normal life with the right help and support from external home care agencies.

“There’s a lot of action now happening with dementia champions working hard to create awareness, and improve the public’s understanding, and move dementia research and support forward, but it will ultimately be down to local communities to come together and support the greater numbers of people living with the disease in the coming years and decades.”