$35 million for dementia research
The Australian Government has granted $35.6 million to dementia research, allowing research teams to focus on finding innovative new models of care for dementia, treatments and ways of preventing the disease.
Federal government funding will support and promote dementia research
The funding, announced by Minister for Health Sussan Ley last week, will support and promote dementia research in the search of new treatments, models of care and ways of preventing the debilitating disease.
Six Dementia Research Teams benefit from the money, including the largest dementia clinical trial in the world for people aged 55 to 75 to test an online tool to reduce the risk of dementia, and projects aimed to uncover warning signs of Alzheimer’s and non-Alzheimer’s disease dementias earlier.
Ms Ley says the six grants were a significant part of a $200 million Abbott Government election commitment to dementia research and ensured Australia remained at the forefront of international best practice.
“This $35.6 million Abbott Government commitment to dementia research is essential as the number of Australians with dementia is predicted to grow to over one million people in the next 40 years,” Ms Ley says.
“The significant investment will focus Australian research teams on finding innovative new models of care for dementia, treatments and ways of preventing the disease.
“Importantly these Dementia Research Team Grants provide a new opportunity for Australian researchers to collaborate on priorities, rather than compete as individuals,” according to Ms Ley.
She says the teams would be funded across five key research priority areas which align with the priorities of people with dementia and their carers.
“While there is currently no cure for dementia, Australia is a world leader in the disease’s research and progress towards effective treatments,” Ms Ley says.
“The Abbot Government’s commitment to this crucial area of research will make a difference to the lives of millions of Australians over the coming decades.”
The government’s $200 million boost to dementia research will contribute to the World Dementia Council’s target of achieving a five year delay in the onset of dementia by 2025.
More information about the grants can be found on the NHMRC website under Outcomes of funding rounds. Details of the NHMRC National Institute for Dementia Research, including the priority framework, can be found on the NHMRC website.
