Alzheimer’s Advocates Urge G7 to Accelerate Research and Healthcare Preparedness
Helen Rochford-Brennan
Helen Rochford-Brennan

Helen Rochford-Brennan, a 72-year-old Irish woman living with Alzheimer’s, was first diagnosed at 57, with a more complete diagnosis following five years later. At the time, there were no life-enhancing medications, leaving her to face the grim reality of her brain’s gradual decline, enduring what she described as “many dark days.”

“Imagine having a new medication,” Rochford-Brennan said. “My quality of life when I was diagnosed would have been improved. Right now, I have to work really hard to make my life joyful.”

Since her diagnosis, Rochford-Brennan has become a vocal advocate for early detection and access to transformative treatments for people with dementia. She told Health Policy Watch that if existing treatments aren’t approved across all OECD countries or remain available only to the wealthy, it would constitute a human rights violation.

“I need to know that everyone is going to have access,” she emphasised.

Alzheimer’s currently affects over 55 million people worldwide, costing the economy more than $1.3 trillion each year – or more than $15 trillion in a single decade. By 2050, the number of people with Alzheimer’s is expected to nearly triple.

“The world has never thought of the brain as an organ of the body that should be subject to health prevention and research,” said George Vradenburg, founding chair of Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative (DAC). “The world needs to focus on brain health because it is so central to so much cost and suffering around the world.”

Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative Founding Chairman George Vradenburg
Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative Founding Chair George Vradenburg

In 2013, the G8 (now G7) pledged to stop Alzheimer’s by 2025, with a goal to make disease-modifying treatments widely accessible by then. As 2025 approaches, there has been significant progress in early detection, expanding research, and developing therapies. However, DAC stressed in a statement that more needs to be done to ensure fair access to these treatments worldwide, along with greater global investment to tackle this growing health crisis.

To advance these efforts, DAC, along with the European Brain Council, the Global CEO Initiative on Alzheimer’s Disease, the Associazione Italiana Malattia di Alzheimer, and Fondazione Prada, hosted a side event at the G7 Health Ministerial Meeting in Italy. It focused on accelerating cooperation in research, healthcare readiness, and access to innovative treatments.

During the event, organisers called on G7 leaders to address the urgent global challenge of Alzheimer’s and dementia by taking bold steps to ensure widespread and equitable access to life-extending therapies and the latest innovations.

The choice to hold the event in Italy was significant, noted Vradenburg, as Italy has the second-oldest population in the world. By 2050, more than a third of its people will be 65 or older. Currently, 44% of Italians in that age group report memory loss or other cognitive issues as major problems.

George Vradenburg, founding chairman of Davos Alzheimer's Collaborative, speaks at an event in Italy on October 8, 2024.
George Vradenburg, founding chair of Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative, speaks at an event in Italy on 8 October, 2024.

The event brought together global health ministers, leaders in public health, and experts in dementia and Alzheimer’s. Key participants included OECD Deputy Secretary-General for Health Yoshiki Takeuchi, Charlotte Refsum from the Tony Blair Institute (TBI), UK Dementia Task Force Co-Chair Hilary Evans, US White House Global Health Security Coordinator Stephanie Psaki, and Japan’s Counsellor for Dementia Policy Planning, Yoshimasa Tosaka.

“OECD countries must lead by example by placing dementia higher in the policy agenda,” Takeuchi emphasised. “We must work together to address diagnosis challenges, improve quality of care and support efforts in monitoring outcomes for people with dementia, while continuing to promote research and development for innovative treatments which make a difference in the lives of people with dementia.”

At the event’s conclusion, the partners issued five specific calls to action for G7 governments:

  • Expand global and cross-sector collaboration: Strengthen partnerships between governments, private sectors, scientific communities, philanthropic organisations, and others to foster innovation in dementia research.
  • Invest in healthcare system preparedness: Equip healthcare systems with the resources and capabilities needed to use the latest tools, from cognitive screening and early detection to accurate diagnosis and effective treatment and care.
  • Improve early detection and diagnosis: Build the capacity to detect cognitive impairment early and provide accurate diagnoses, utilising blood-based biomarkers and other technologies starting at the primary care level.
  • Accelerate Alzheimer’s treatment development and delivery: Speed up the creation and distribution of therapies, including new disease-modifying drugs and immunotherapies.
  • Promote global research, access, and equity: Conduct research across diverse populations and develop strategies that work for countries at all resource levels.

A growing global challenge

Alzheimer’s is a neurodegenerative disease that worsens over time, starting with physical changes in the brain, such as the build-up of toxic amyloid plaques, which can occur up to 20 years before symptoms become apparent. Currently, it can take up to two years for a person to receive a diagnosis, and many countries still lack access to the latest diagnostic tools for detecting cognitive impairment.

New treatments are emerging. FDA-approved drugs like Leqembi, for mild dementia, and Kisunla, for early-stage Alzheimer’s, are now available in countries such as the US, UK, Japan, Hong Kong, the UAE, China, and Israel. However, European regulators have rejected both drugs, leaving most European citizens without access.

“Science and industry are starting to deliver groundbreaking, disease-modifying therapies, and more are on the way,” said Vradenburg. “Now we need to ensure these innovations reach the families who need them.”

He urged G7 nations to lead the way by boosting Alzheimer’s research funding and developing healthcare models that ensure early detection, diagnosis, and treatment are universally and equitably available to all, regardless of income.

Vradenburg also criticised the European Medicines Agency for rejecting the drugs, pointing out that, according to the European Commission, over 20% of the EU’s 448.8 million people are 65 or older.

“Decisions about these medications should be made between patients and their doctors, not by bureaucrats in Brussels,” he said, referencing concerns over potential side effects. “Patients should be informed of the risks and benefits and decide for themselves—not the government.”

Push for preventative healthcare

At the event, TBI’s Charlotte Refsum advocated for greater investment in preventative healthcare. She told Health Policy Watch that while people in developed countries are living longer, they aren’t necessarily living in good health. This leads to a growing financial strain on healthcare systems, with increasing costs and a shrinking tax base as more sick people leave the workforce.

“We all know prevention is a good idea, but we are trying to convince governments of its economic necessity,” Refsum said.

She explained that many governments see healthcare spending as a “black hole.” However, TBI’s stance is that not all health spending is equal, and investing in prevention can yield significant returns compared to funding more hospitals or treatments.

Refsum also highlighted the importance of delivering preventative care through innovative, non-traditional means. Instead of relying solely on general practitioners or family doctors, she suggested providing support where people already are—online, at home, or in their communities.

“We have to think about different models of care that make better use of pharmacies, gyms, workplaces, and other local resources,” she said.

The Lancet Commission on Dementia estimates that addressing risk factors like smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, and inactivity can reduce dementia risk by up to 45%.

Refsum pointed to New Zealand’s CBAX tool, a spreadsheet model with a database that helps agencies monetise impacts and conduct cost-benefit analyses. In the health sector, this tool is being used to assess people’s risk factors for certain life events, justifying investment in areas like children’s and young people’s health.

“This is a good example of using data to target prevention more effectively,” Refsum said.

Helen Rochford-Brennan (far right) participates in the "Advancing Global Collaboration for Dementia and Healthy Aging" event on October 8, 2024.
Helen Rochford-Brennan (far right) participates in the “Advancing Global Collaboration for Dementia and Healthy Aging” event on October 8, 2024. Other members of the panel include from left: Drew Holzapfel of the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative; Yoshimasa Tosaka of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan; Hilary Evans-Newton of Alzheimer’s Research UK; and Howard Bergman of McGill University.

Rochford-Brennan also expressed hope that the conference would inspire G7 countries to listen to the needs of dementia patients and invest not only in treatments but also in the infrastructure surrounding detection, care, and ongoing support.

“The cost would be so much less if newly diagnosed people could stay at work, continue their lives, and have another 20 years of productive living,” Rochford-Brennan said. “There are so few countries in Europe with a dementia plan. We need to ensure healthcare systems provide early diagnosis and long-term, individualised support.”

Image Credits: Courtesy of Helen Rochford-Brennan, Courtesy of the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative, Courtesy of the Davos Alzheimer's Collaborative.

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