10.10.12
Industry leaders come together against dementia
A group of over 150 pharmaceutical leaders, biotech experts and researchers are coming together today to discuss how to make the UK a world leader in dementia research and drive the development of potential treatment.
As part of the Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia, researchers and charities will come together with leaders from the pharmaceutical industry to look at the research and funding opportunities available.
The event will focus on the challenges in research, barriers to the industry, and how the UK can respond to these. Attendees include the Wellcome Trust, Medical Research Council, NIHR and Alzheimer’s Research UK.
Care and support minister Norman Lamb said: “The UK wants to be a world-leader in dementia research, but only by international collaboration can we tackle the global challenge of this condition.
“With up to 115 million people worldwide due to be affected by dementia by 2050, including a possible 1.7 million in the UK, this is truly a global problem that requires governments to take action.”
Chief Medical Officer, Professor Dame Sally Davies, said: “We are all facing an unprecedented health challenge from dementia as the population ages, but the challenge of finding effective treatments is one we cannot under-estimate.
“The UK understands that only by offering the right research environment and support for industry can we all work together towards a common goal of tackling this condition.”
Dr Eric Karran, director of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “As the number of people in the UK living with dementia spirals towards a million, charities, government and industry must join forces to ensure that research successes are translated into patient benefits.
“This event provides a platform to demonstrate the unique research opportunities provided by the NHS, our leading academic centres and flexible funding. A thriving research sector is our only hope for defeating dementia.”
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