Top researchers advocate united actions to fight Alzheimer’s disease
[PRESS RELEASE, 15 MARCH 2016] To meet the challenge of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, a concerted effort and long-term economic commitment is needed, according to a new report by internationally leading researchers in the field. The journal Lancet Neurology devotes its entire April issue to a detailed overview and recommendations about how patient care, as well as basic and clinical research on Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias should be organised in the future. The report will be presented at a workshop hosted by the European Parliament in Brussels on March 15, during the Brain Awareness Week 2016
The comprehensive report is the work of the Lancet Neurology Commission led by Professor Bengt Winblad, Center for Alzheimer Research at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden. This commission was initiated by Lancet editors and formed with the aim to provide expert recommendations and information to politicians and policy makers about Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. More than 30 internationally leading researchers collaborated on the 78 pages long report, which identified a range of challenges that need to be addressed to reduce the burden of dementia.
“What we need now is for the politicians to realise that this is a growing problem that already costs society tremendous amounts of money”, says Professor Bengt Winblad. “We need investments of resources in research in all areas involved in this disease, to find better drugs, but also to improve compassionate care and prevention.”
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia and accounts for approximately 60 percent of the cases. The most important risk factor is high age and as life expectancy increases, the number of persons with dementia is expected to rise. In 2015, almost 47 million persons around the world were estimated to be affected. By 2030, the number is expected to reach 75 million. By 2050, up to 131 million persons are expected to be burdened by the disease. So far no treatment is available that can effectively halt or reverse the disease.
The Lancet Neurology Commission report discusses health economics, epidemiology, prevention, genetics, biology, diagnosis, treatment, care and ethics. The commission advocates that public governmental agencies form large multinational partnerships with academic centres and pharmaceutical companies to deploy capital resources and share risk.
“To defeat Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, united actions are needed, not only within research, but also within the political arena on all levels”, says Professor Winblad. “My hope is that our work will stimulate increased national and international collaboration.”
The authors of this report are researchers from Sweden, France, UK, Australia, Denmark, Canada, Switzerland, Italy, Luxembourg, the United States, Germany and Netherlands. The report will be presented at a workshop hosted by the Science and Technology Options Assessment (STOA) panel of the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium, during the international Brain Awareness Week 2016.
Publication: 'Defeating Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias: a priority for European science and society', Bengt Winblad, Philippe Amouyel, Sandrine Andrieu et al, The Lancet Neurology, 2016;15:455-532, published online 14 March 2016.
For further details, please contact:
Bengt Winblad, MD, PhD, Professor in Geriatrics, Center for Alzheimer Research
Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet
Phone: +46 (0) 70-632 67 71
E-mail: bengt-winblad-swedishbrainpower@ki.se or bengt.winblad@ki.se
Karolinska Institutet is one of the world's leading medical universities. Its vision is to significantly contribute to the improvement of human health. Karolinska Institutet accounts for over 40 per cent of the medical academic research conducted in Sweden and offers the country´s broadest range of education in medicine and health sciences. The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet selects the Nobel laureates in Physiology or Medicine.
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