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LONDON, England /
Daily Mail / News / November 27, 2009
Cash to find cure for dementia is slashed: Ministers go back on research-funding pledge
By Daniel Martin
Funding for dementia research has been slashed despite Government promises to spend more on finding a cure.
Ministers have admitted just 3 per cent of the medical research budget is spent on studying Alzheimer's and its related conditions, while funding for cancer and heart disease has risen.
The news comes despite experts warning that 1.4million Britons could suffer from dementia within 20 years.
Spending on dementia research has been slashed despite a Government commitment to spend more on finding a cure
Figures from the Medical Research Council and the Department of Health revealed that in 2008/09, spending on dementia research fell 7 per cent to £29.9million.
At the same time, funding for cancer studies rose to £250million and £75million for heart disease.
Dementia experts say that funding for research into the condition has suffered because people wrongly see Alzheimer's as an inevitable consequence of ageing.
Rebecca Wood, of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, said: 'After years of talking up its commitment to dementia research, it is appalling that Government investment has fallen.
'The Government has published strategies, held summits, and heard the concerns of scientists, but this is futile without 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.
'Dementia afflicts 700,000 Britons, costing our economy £1billion a year.
'Within a generation, 1.4million people will live with dementia, and the cost will have tripled to £50billion.
'The Government can't afford to keep its head in the sand.'
The figures were revealed following a parliamentary question from LibDem MP Paul Burstow.
Last week, Health Secretary Andy Burnham revealed that research budgets would be raided to give free personal care to hundreds of thousands of pensioners.
Although he claimed that neither cancer nor dementia studies would be affected, charities say the scheme's estimated £60million cost will have a knock-on effect on funding.
Last year, the Mail revealed the UK spends far less on research into dementia than almost any other Western country.
Stephen O'Brien, Tory health spokesman, said: 'After 12 years of dithering this is a final insult from a Labour government that has done next to nothing to help dementia sufferers.
'Research is crucial to us being able to defeat this tragic disease which ruins the lives of its sufferers and their families.
'That is why we have pledged to make it a research priority if we are elected to government.'
But Care Services minister Phil Hope said: 'The Government is not cutting dementia research. By 2011, we will be investing £1billion in health research.
'This money is awarded to the best quality research for any health condition. This year fewer dementia research proposals met these standards.
'That is why we have set up a new ministerial group to help dementia researchers get more access to funding.' [
rc]
Spending on dementia research has been slashed despite a Government commitment to spend more on finding a cure
Figures from the Medical Research Council and the Department of Health revealed that in 2008/09, spending on dementia research fell 7 per cent to £29.9million.
At the same time, funding for cancer studies rose to £250million and £75million for heart disease.
Dementia experts say that funding for research into the condition has suffered because people wrongly see Alzheimer's as an inevitable consequence of ageing.
Rebecca Wood, of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, said: 'After years of talking up its commitment to dementia research, it is appalling that Government investment has fallen.
'The Government has published strategies, held summits, and heard the concerns of scientists, but this is futile without 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.
'Dementia afflicts 700,000 Britons, costing our economy £1billion a year.
'Within a generation, 1.4million people will live with dementia, and the cost will have tripled to £50billion.
'The Government can't afford to keep its head in the sand.'
The figures were revealed following a parliamentary question from LibDem MP Paul Burstow.
Last week, Health Secretary Andy Burnham revealed that research budgets would be raided to give free personal care to hundreds of thousands of pensioners.
Although he claimed that neither cancer nor dementia studies would be affected, charities say the scheme's estimated £60million cost will have a knock-on effect on funding.
Last year, the Mail revealed the UK spends far less on research into dementia than almost any other Western country.
Stephen O'Brien, Tory health spokesman, said: 'After 12 years of dithering this is a final insult from a Labour government that has done next to nothing to help dementia sufferers.
'Research is crucial to us being able to defeat this tragic disease which ruins the lives of its sufferers and their families.
'That is why we have pledged to make it a research priority if we are elected to government.'
But Care Services minister Phil Hope said: 'The Government is not cutting dementia research. By 2011, we will be investing £1billion in health research.
'This money is awarded to the best quality research for any health condition. This year fewer dementia research proposals met these standards.
'That is why we have set up a new ministerial group to help dementia researchers get more access to funding.' [rc]
