Government investment in dementia research fell last year by over seven percent, despite strong criticism from charities, scientists and politicians that dementia research was already severely underfunded.

In answer to a parliamentary question from Lib Dem MP Paul Burstow, health minister Gillian Merron revealed that the combined Medical Research Council and Department of Health (National Institute for Health Research) investment in dementia research amounted to just £29.9 million in 2008-09. In 2007-08 the figure was £32.2 million, less than 3% of the medical research budget.
 
Rebecca Wood, Chief Executive of the Alzheimer’s Research Trust, said:
“After years of talking up its commitment to dementia research, it is appalling that government investment has actually fallen. The government has published promising strategies, held summits, and heard the concerns of scientists, but all this is futile without proper financial support.
 
“If we do not significantly increase investment in dementia research in order to develop new treatments, we are headed for an unmitigated social and economic disaster. For every pound spent on dementia care, a fraction of a penny is invested in research.
 
“Dementia afflicts 700,000 people in the UK, costing our economy £17 billion per year. Within a generation, 1.4 million people will live with dementia, and the annual cost will have tripled to £50 billion. The government cannot afford to keep its head in the sand.
 
“The recently announced ‘ministerial taskforce on dementia research’ is a welcome initiative, but if it does not introduce significant change, we will all pay the price.”
 
In July this year, 31 leading scientists signed an open letter stating that the government “must triple” its investment in dementia research to end “years of underfunding”. They noted that “our key weakness is lack of funding, not lack of talent”. The full letter and list of signatories can be viewed here http://bit.ly/5nSQLl.