Dementia research in need of boost
Funding for dementia research is “miles behind” other chronic conditions, according to new information released last week. As the third leading cause of death in Australia, dementia research received just $24 million each year, which was only one sixth of the funding provided to cancer research and less than half of the funding allocated to diabetes.
Funding for dementia research is “miles behind” other chronic conditions, according to new information released last week.
As the third leading cause of death in Australia, dementia research received just $24 million each year, which was only one sixth of the funding provided to cancer research and less than half of the funding allocated to diabetes.
Alzheimer’s Australia Consumer Dementia Research Network member, Tara Quirke, said it was clear dementia was not being “prioritised”.
“Not enough is being done to build capacity in dementia research… and as a result, dementia research is falling behind,” she claimed.
The message was delivered by the Alzheimer’s Australia Consumer Dementia Research Network to the Strategic Review of Health and Medical Research in Australia, led by Simon McKeon.
The submission to the McKeon Review was supported by a new report on funding data from the National Health and Medical Research Council. The funding data into dementia research was looked at over a decade.
Speaking at the Research and Standardisation in Alzheimer’s Disease Conference in Melbourne last week, Alzheimer’s Australia president, Ita Buttrose, said the “biggest challenge lies in convincing the community and government that dementia is not a natural part of ageing”.
She called for an “international gathering” of researchers to join Alzheimer’s Australia and the 1.5 million Australians affected by dementia in the Fight Dementia campaign.
“The work you are doing is at the very forefront of human endeavour,” Ms Buttrose told researchers at the conference.
“It should be seen as exciting and challenging as discovering the mysteries of the universe, or of landing a man on the moon,” she added.
