Scientists on target for a dementia cure 'within a decade'

From the Daily Telegraph

SCIENTISTS are on target to develop a cure for dementia within the next 10 years, the Government’s dementia tsar has revealed.

Scientists are hoping to have found a cure for dementia within the next ten years

Alistair Burns, NHS England’s national clinical director for the brain disease, says he is confident there will be a cure, or at least a drug that will significantly slow down its progression, by 2025. 

In an exclusive interview with the Sunday Express, Professor Burns, 56, claimed advances in treatment will eventually catch up with those made in cancer care. 

More people than ever before are being diagnosed with the illness, with an extra 10,000 every month being added to the dementia register. 

I think the future is bright and there is a lot to be enthusiastic about but we aren’t quite there yet

Professor Alistair Burns

Professor Burns said: “I would say with confidence that we are on target to develop something that will cure or significantly slow down dementia in the next 10 years, but these things are notoriously hard to predict.” 

In December, Prime Minister David Cameron said Britain would lead the search for a cure for dementia, something he described as “one of the greatest enemies of humanity”. 

In the Autumn Statement, Chancellor George Osborne pledged at least £15million towards a new fund focused on boosting investment into dementia research. 

Last night Professor Burns, who was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s New Year’s honours list, praised the Government for the work it had done. 

He said: “If I look back at the advances that have been made during the time that I have been interested in dementia and, in particular, the Prime Minister’s support for dementia and research in general, it has been extraordinarily helpful at getting people interested in the subject.” 

He added: “We are really at the beginning of the journey on dementia in terms of research and although there have been huge strides, it is going to take a little while to catch up with the interest and developments there have been with cancer.” 

REUTERS
David Cameron has said Britain will lead the search for a dementia cure

Professor Burns said the interest in dementia shown by politicians and the public had helped the scientists. 

“One of the privileges of my job is to go around the country talking about dementia and you can now fill rooms with people interested in it,” he said. 

“Five years ago, there wasn’t that degree of interest. Now everyone is interested. That feeds through to research. 

“I think the future is bright and there is a lot to be enthusiastic about but we aren’t quite there yet.” 

The number of people being diagnosed with dementia has been steadily rising and as of December an estimated 394,000 people had been added to the dementia register, up from 250,000 in 2009. 

This rise has coincided with the launch of an initiative where doctors’ practices are paid an extra £55 for every patient diagnosed with dementia. 

Professor Burns claimed it had made a real difference but the scheme is due to end in March. 

“We are diagnosing more people than ever which has coincided with greatly increased awareness and I think the initiative has helped,” he said. 

“Its purpose was to raise awareness and it was supposed to be short term. Once colleagues in primary care have the confidence to diagnose dementia that is some thing that will last forever.”