Prime Minister Unveils £48M Investment to Combat Dementia
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced a £48 million public-private partnership to accelerate dementia research and improve access to clinical trials.
The BARBARA Alliance, created through the Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Goals Programme chaired by Alzheimer’s Research UK Chief Executive Hilary Evans-Newton CBE, will bring together government, industry, charities, researchers and the NHS to speed up recruitment to dementia clinical trials and help promising treatments reach people sooner.
The announcement comes at a critical moment. More Alzheimer’s medicines are in development globally than ever before, but the UK has dropped from second in 2015 to sixth in 2025 for number of new dementia drug trials running each year. Without urgent action, people in the UK risk having fewer opportunities to take part in research that could shape the next generation of treatments.
Hilary Evans-Newton CBE, Chair of the Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Goals programme and Chief Executive of Alzheimer’s Research UK, said:
“We know that people affected by dementia want the opportunity to be part of the search for better treatments. More than 90% we’ve surveyed told us they would like to take part in research, helping to shape a better future for everyone affected by the condition.
“The BARBARA Alliance has been created to change that. By tackling the barriers to dementia research and speeding up recruitment to clinical trials, this funding will help more people contribute to breakthroughs in diagnosis and treatment.”
By connecting and strengthening the UK’s existing research ecosystem, the Alliance aims to speed up access to new dementia treatments and make it easier for discoveries to move from research into real-world use. This joined-up approach will help unlock the value of existing knowledge and resources and reinforce the UK’s position as a global leader in dementia research and innovation.
At the heart of the Alliance’s work is BARBARA: the Brain Ageing Registry for Biomarkers, Access to Trials, Research and Adoption. This flagship UK-wide platform will link existing datasets, research cohorts and registries, creating a more connected route between people, researchers and clinical trials.
By helping researchers identify and recruit suitable participants more quickly, efficiently and equitably, BARBARA has the potential to accelerate studies, widen access to research opportunities and bring new treatments to people affected by dementia sooner.
For families like Elaine’s this progress matters. Her mum, Jeannette was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Elaine shares: “When my mum was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s it was heartbreaking to learn that there were no treatments that could slow or stop the development of the disease.”
Since her mum’s diagnosis and passing, Elaine has been dedicated to raising awareness and funds for dementia research.
But people can only benefit from this progress if the NHS is ready to deliver access to new treatments. Health professionals are working hard to support people affected by dementia, but the health service is not yet equipped to deliver the next generation of treatments and diagnostics.
This September, Alzheimer’s Research UK launched ‘Ready for a Cure’, a new policy campaign and national petition calling on Government to prepare the NHS for the next generation of dementia treatments and diagnostics. Elaine was one of many of our supporters backing the campaign:
“Today, research is giving us hope that other families won’t have to go through what we did. That’s why I’m supporting the Ready for a Cure campaign. “It’s so encouraging to see breakthroughs being made in dementia research and the confidence among scientists that new treatments are on the horizon.
“There’s hope for the future that other people won’t have to go through what we went through with my mum.”
