The Prime Minister has launched a new national mission to tackle dementia called ‘National Dementia Mission’ in honour of Dame Barbara Windsor, who passed away with the condition in 2020. That means that after decades of underfunding, this boost to dementia research investment has the potential to generate much needed progress.
The National Dementia Mission will see an extra £95 million of research funding by 2024, honouring the commitment made in the Conservative election manifesto. According to Downing Street, the mission will be led by a new taskforce comprised of industry, the NHS, academics, and families affected by dementia.
Up to 40% of dementia cases are potentially preventable but causes are still poorly understood. Dementia can affect the brain years before people show any symptoms, which means treatments need to be tested on people far earlier.
As part of the mission, the Prime Minister has also called for an army of volunteers to step forward to participate in clinical trials. It’s critical that people with and without a family history of dementia take part. It’s only with a broad range of participants that researchers can better understand how dementia affects everybody, and how different people might respond to different treatments.
Volunteers can register their interest through the Join Dementia Research website.
