ABHI’s Need to Know Newsletter: Diagnostics

Dementia takes it toll

Dementia is the UK’s biggest killer. It affects almost one million people a year, a third of which go undiagnosed. Care costs have reached £42bn a year, with 63% of this being paid for by families. As the disease progresses, so do treatment costs, from £29,000 per year to £81,000 depending on severity. 

There is no single test used to diagnose dementia. For some people, a dementia diagnosis can be quite simple and take just a few weeks. For others it can take much longer - sometimes more than a year. Early diagnosis reduces time to care and family burdens, but comprises less than 1.4% of total health care expenditure. And with an expected 43% rise in cases by 2040, the Alzheimer’s Society has urged support for early diagnosis research and innovations to improve access to essential care.

At present the NHS doesn't have the necessary infrastructure in place. PET scans (positron emission tomography) and lumbar punctures are currently the most effective tools for diagnosing the diseases that cause dementia, yet only 2% of people can currently access such tests on the NHS. 

Policy makers support innovators

The way we diagnose and treat dementia needs to be fit for the future and innovators are paving the way to develop new tests. One research programme is the Blood Biomarker Challenge, led by University College London and Dementias Platform UK at the University of Oxford. With the goal of being available to the NHS by 2030, these UK-wide clinical trials aim to develop blood tests that aid dementia diagnosis.

Innovate UK has also supported the drive for early dementia diagnostic technologies and techniques. This recent initiative will provide identification, development and commercialisation funding for ten new dementia diagnostic developers through the Small Business Research Initiative. This is a significant step towards advancing dementia research and therapy development, and will reduce the time to care for the disease.

ABHI members spearhead innovation 

ABHI member and blood test innovator Roche is spearheading dementia diagnosis practices with a blood test capable of identifying amyloid pathology in individuals, a telltale feature of dementia. 

After being approved for use in the USA by the FDA, Roche is now set on bringing the groundbreaking diagnostic technology to the UK. Working closely with the University of St Andrews, Roche has been trialling early detection through blood sample analysis, with the aim of getting the technique into NHS practices. 

We must see more government support for initiatives like these that spearhead the research and development of dementia diagnosis innovations. Life changing diagnostic techniques like Roche’s blood test will support NHS capabilities, improve patient access to treatment, and reduce family crises. 

ABHI supports initiatives that drive early dementia diagnosis, help the NHS treat dementia patients quickly and efficiently, and support families who live with the disease. To learn how ABHI can support your early diagnostics business, visit our resource hub or contact ABHI Executive Director for Diagnostics Nishan Sunthares.