International partners in the G7 must work together to help beat dementia on a global scale, the health minister has said.
Steve Barclay, who will be visiting Japan this week for a G7 event, said the UK needed to look beyond its own borders to find ways to fight dementia and this was essential to improving the lives of millions.
It comes as Barclay is expected to sign an agreement with Japan’s G7 countries “in which member countries will commit to investing in research and development”.
Speaking to The Express, Mr Barclay said: “We need to look beyond our own borders to find common solutions to tackle dementia. That is why international meetings, such as the G7, are vital.
“These steps will improve the lives of people with dementia, their carers and families while reducing the impact on communities and countries.”
Dementia is the general term for loss of memory, language, or other ability to think, with Alzheimer’s being the most common cause of dementia.
Mr Barclay’s comments come just two weeks after the US pharmaceutical giant revealed it had developed a drug that could slow Alzheimer’s disease by a third, ushering in a new era of dementia treatment.
