Dementia funds 'should be tripled'

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

The amount devoted to studying conditions like Alzheimer's disease needs to be tripled or the UK will "pay the price", it said.

At present, £32 million in Government funding is given to help find new treatments and ways of preventing or curing Alzheimer's and other dementias.

The Alzheimer's Research Trust has launched the latest campaign with the backing of the Alzheimer's Society and Parkinson's Disease Society. The letter warns the UK's "key weakness" is lack of funding, not lack of talented scientists.

The letter says: "Within a generation, 1.4 million people in the UK will live with dementia, costing our economy £50 billion per year. Yet for every pound spent on dementia care, a fraction of a penny is spent on research into defeating the condition. Our key weakness is lack of funding, not lack of talent.

"The Government must use this summit to initiate a national dementia research strategy. Most importantly, it must commit to tripling its annual support for dementia research to £96 million within five years. If the Government squanders this opportunity, we will all pay the price."

Signatories include Professor Julie Williams, chief scientific adviser to the Alzheimer's Research Trust, Professor Clive Ballard, director of research at the Alzheimer's Society, and Dr Kieran Breen, head of research at the Parkinson's Disease Society.

Sir Terry Pratchett, author and patron of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, said: "There's only two ways it can go: researchers, with as much help you can give them, may come up with something that reduces the effects of this dreadful, inhuman disease or we will have to face the consequences of our failure to prevent the final years of many of us being a long bad dream.

"The strain on carers and their support is bad enough now; before very long the effects on the health service and society itself, will be unbearable."