Thursday, 6 March 2014

UK GOVERNMENT APPOINTS WORLD DEMENTIA ENVOY

In A News Release on 28 February 2014, Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) welcomes the appointment of Dr Dennis Gillings as the World Dementia Envoy, who plans to create a World Dementia Council to raise funds for Alzheimer’s research. The announcement was made by the UK government as part of a new dementia package which aims to speed up diagnosis, fund research and encourage businesses and services in the country to become dementia-friendly.

Dr Dennis Gillings is Founder of Quintiles, the world’s largest provider of biopharmaceutical development services, and has provided consultancy to numerous companies and health organisations, including the National Cancer Institute and the Institute of Medicine.

As the global voice on dementia, ADI hopes the World Dementia Envoy will generate new funding streams around the world, helping to sustain the crucial collaborative action that is now required from all nations. 

Marc Wortmann, Executive Director of Alzheimer’s Disease International comments:

“ADI is very pleased that the British government is taking steps towards improving diagnosis and stigma tackling for people with dementia. We believe that timely diagnosis and involving businesses in developing more dementia friendly environments will make a difference to the everyday lives of people with dementia and their carers. To stop the growing dementia epidemic, we need significantly higher research budgets like the world has provided for cancer and HIV/AIDS.  The appointment of the Envoy and the creation of a World Dementia Council will boost research and innovation and should help to take advantage of increasing funding opportunities provided by governments, encourage the public to donate more to Alzheimer associations, many of which already fund research, and reach out to sources that have not been involved before.”


Alongside the Envoy, ADI will continue to lead, with its member associations, a global task force that focuses on facilitating research, developing dementia friendly communities and awareness initiatives, and improving health and social care systems.


(Source:  ADI, News Release, 28 February 2014)

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