LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister David Cameron says he hopes to kick-start an international effort to find a cure or effective treatment for dementia by 2025.
At a one-day summit on dementia on Wednesday hosted by the United Kingdom, Cameron declared that discovering a cure or treatment for dementia is “within our grasp.”
The Group of Eight health and science ministers signed a declaration agreeing to identify “a cure or disease-modifying therapy for dementia” by 2025, among other goals, including increased funding and greater cooperation.
In addition to the United Kingdom and the United States, the G-8 includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Russia.
Globally, about 44 million people are estimated to have dementia, according to Alzheimer Disease International. That number is projected to jump to 76 million by 2030.
Several drugs lessen the symptoms of dementia but none improves the underlying disease. In the United States, no new drug has been licensed for a decade.