Don’t lose ‘dementia hope’
Pharmaceutical companies must continue to do research into medications to modify or stop the progression of dementia, says Ita Buttrose, the National President of Alzheimer’s Australia.
Pharmaceutical companies must continue to do research into medications to modify or stop the progression of dementia, says Ita Buttrose, the National President of Alzheimer’s Australia.
Speaking at the Medicines Australia Conference Dinner in Sydney last week, Ms Buttrose urged pharmaceutical companies not to give up hope that successful treatments ultimately will be discovered.
“Given the enormous impact Alzheimer’s disease has on the quality of life of millions of people around the world, research is crucial,” she says.
People living with the disease and their family carers are reportedly concerned by recent announcements that some pharmaceutical companies are pulling out of drug trials.
“Coupled with the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee’s review into medications for Alzheimer’s disease earlier this year, consumers are feeling particularly vulnerable,” Ms Buttrose says.
She adds it is vital industry investment is underpinned by public health funding priorities in research that promote a better understanding of the causes of dementia.
This call for increased funding into research is the focus of phase two of Alzheimer’s Australia’s Fight Dementia Campaign – Towards a World Without Dementia.
Alzheimer’s Australia is now calling for an additional $200 million to be allocated to dementia research over five years in the 2013-14 Federal Budget.
There have reportedly been more than 100 unsuccessful attempts to develop drugs to treat Alzheimer’s disease since 1998, but Ms Buttrose believes ‘practice can make perfect’.
“It would be devastating for consumers if the information generated by the trials in recent years wasn’t investigated further.
“We mustn’t let these failures stop us looking for treatments and a possible cure. We must keep going.”
