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Dementia is the greatest health challenge of our generation, a charity has warned, as research shows the condition is more widespread and costs more than previously thought.
More than 820,000 people have the condition costing the economy £23 billion a year, according to new findings in a report from Oxford University.
Dementia costs more than heart disease and cancer put together, the Alzheimer's Research Trust said, which commissioned the report. Cancer costs £12 billion per year, while heart disease costs £8 billion per year.
Despite the huge costs to health care and society, dementia receives relatively little research funding compared with other major diseases, the report said.
Combined government and charity spending on research for dementia is 12 times lower than that for cancer.
Rebecca Wood, Chief Executive of the Alzheimer’s Research Trust: “The economic impact of dementia is spiralling, costing us more than heart disease and cancer combined.
"Current levels of investment in dementia research are appallingly low. We are staring in the face of what will be the greatest health challenge of our generation. We cannot afford to back down – if we do not invest now in research to beat dementia, it will beat us.”
Each year in Britain £590 million is spent on cancer research, £169 million is spent researching heart disease where as dementia receives just £50 million, the report entitled Dementia 2010 said.
Prof Alastair Gray of the University of Oxford Health Economics Research Centre, and one of Dementia 2010s authors, said: “The economic burden of dementia is far greater than that for cancer, heart disease and other major medical challenges. Despite high costs for unpaid and government-funded carers, dementia research is grossly underfunded in comparison with other disease areas.”
Paul Burstow, Liberal Democrat MP for Sutton and Cheam who wrote a foreword to Dementia 2010, said:“The Government have held a summit on dementia research, but new money came there none. Instead a Ministerial task force on research has been set up.
“Dementia costs the UK twice as much as cancer, three times as much as heart disease and four times as much as stroke. Yet when it comes to research funding dementia is the poor relation. For every one pound spent on dementia research twenty six pounds are spent on cancer research and fifteen pounds on research into heart disease.
“Dementia 2010 makes clear the scale of the challenge; it brings dementia into the spotlight. The case for investment in dementia research is powerful and clear."
Each dementia patients costs the economy more than the average wage, at around £27,000 a year with cancer patients costing less than a quarter of that.
Ms Wood added: “If research leads to a cure for Alzheimer’s and other dementias, annual savings to the state would be equivalent to funding every British university for over a year.”
Phil Hope, Care Services Minister, said: "The government fully recognises the importance of dementia research. By 2011, we will be investing more than ever - nearly £1 billion - in health research. This money is awarded to the best quality research for any health condition, including dementia.
"Dementia is one of the most important issues we face as the population ages and I want to see an increase in the volume, quality and impact of dementia research."
More than 820,000 people have the condition costing the economy £23 billion a year, according to new findings in a report from Oxford University.
Dementia costs more than heart disease and cancer put together, the Alzheimer's Research Trust said, which commissioned the report. Cancer costs £12 billion per year, while heart disease costs £8 billion per year.
Despite the huge costs to health care and society, dementia receives relatively little research funding compared with other major diseases, the report said.
Combined government and charity spending on research for dementia is 12 times lower than that for cancer.
Rebecca Wood, Chief Executive of the Alzheimer’s Research Trust: “The economic impact of dementia is spiralling, costing us more than heart disease and cancer combined.
"Current levels of investment in dementia research are appallingly low. We are staring in the face of what will be the greatest health challenge of our generation. We cannot afford to back down – if we do not invest now in research to beat dementia, it will beat us.”
Each year in Britain £590 million is spent on cancer research, £169 million is spent researching heart disease where as dementia receives just £50 million, the report entitled Dementia 2010 said.
Prof Alastair Gray of the University of Oxford Health Economics Research Centre, and one of Dementia 2010s authors, said: “The economic burden of dementia is far greater than that for cancer, heart disease and other major medical challenges. Despite high costs for unpaid and government-funded carers, dementia research is grossly underfunded in comparison with other disease areas.”
Paul Burstow, Liberal Democrat MP for Sutton and Cheam who wrote a foreword to Dementia 2010, said:“The Government have held a summit on dementia research, but new money came there none. Instead a Ministerial task force on research has been set up.
“Dementia costs the UK twice as much as cancer, three times as much as heart disease and four times as much as stroke. Yet when it comes to research funding dementia is the poor relation. For every one pound spent on dementia research twenty six pounds are spent on cancer research and fifteen pounds on research into heart disease.
“Dementia 2010 makes clear the scale of the challenge; it brings dementia into the spotlight. The case for investment in dementia research is powerful and clear."
Each dementia patients costs the economy more than the average wage, at around £27,000 a year with cancer patients costing less than a quarter of that.
Ms Wood added: “If research leads to a cure for Alzheimer’s and other dementias, annual savings to the state would be equivalent to funding every British university for over a year.”
Phil Hope, Care Services Minister, said: "The government fully recognises the importance of dementia research. By 2011, we will be investing more than ever - nearly £1 billion - in health research. This money is awarded to the best quality research for any health condition, including dementia.
"Dementia is one of the most important issues we face as the population ages and I want to see an increase in the volume, quality and impact of dementia research."
