U.K. Government Vows to Double Dementia Funding If Reelected

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pledged to double funding on dementia research with an additional $107 million annually if the Conservative Party is reelected on Dec. 12, reports FierceBiotech . Conservatives have prioritized dementia research, both in their own spending plans and through the establishment of the Dementia Discovery Fund. Inaction due to Britain's vote to leave the European Union has seen the issue deprioritized, but the Conservatives are aggressively pushing it as a key area if they are elected with a mandate to address Brexit. According to the Conservative manifesto, finding a cure for dementia will be "one of its biggest collective priorities" if the party wins. The vow comes seven years after the Conservatives promised to double dementia funding to bring annual spending up to $84.7 million. The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) said the additional funding could stimulate more investment in biopharma research and development. "This commitment is very welcome to help U.K. scientists find new ways to fight the disease," said the ABPI's Sheuli Porkess. "The U.K. is a global leader in research, and the announcement of a 'Dementia Moonshot' with significant public-sector funding will also encourage further private investment, which will generate valuable jobs and growth in life sciences."