- NHS to offer low-cost Alzheimer’s blood tests to Britons
- Trials by Oxford and UCL aim to improve diagnosis rates
- Simple blood test could revolutionize dementia diagnosis and treatment
Thousands of Britons will receive Alzheimer’s blood tests at a reduced cost to reform the “shocking” diagnostic rates of the NHS.
Researchers from Oxford and University College London will use tests to detect blood proteins associated with memory-robbing disease and other forms of dementia as part of two landmark clinical trials.
Obtaining a formal diagnosis in the United Kingdom at this time requires invasive and painful lumbar punctures, brain scans, or mental aptitude tests.
The ‘groundbreaking’ blood test, estimated to cost approximately £100, is anticipated to accelerate the treatment process, enabling patients to receive intervention at an earlier stage and evade the damaging effects of the illness.
Although currently incurable, promising new medications are on the horizon.
The director of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, Dr Sheona Scales, stated that “a fundamental and urgent reform of the diagnostic process” was required.
An approximate proportion of one in every three individuals who have dementia in England has not yet been formally diagnosed.
Dr. Scales stated, “We have witnessed the tremendous potential that blood tests have to improve the diagnostic process for patients and their loved ones about other diseases.”
We must now observe the same magnitude of progress in dementia, the greatest health challenge facing the United Kingdom.
“It’s incredible that by collaborating with the foremost authorities in the dementia community, we can work towards integrating state-of-the-art blood tests for dementia diagnosis into the NHS.”
Furthermore, this will be crucial in expanding the availability of innovative remedies that are in the works.
The trials, estimated to cost approximately £10 million, will be conducted throughout the United Kingdom with participants who have informed their general practitioner of symptoms potentially indicative of dementia in its early phases.
In the first, which includes 1,100 participants, outcomes will be provided to half of the patients after three months and the other half after twelve months.
Subsequently, the researchers will be able to assess whether advances in diagnosis result in enhanced patient treatment.
The trial’s proctor, UCL neurology expert Professor Jonathan Schott, described the straightforward blood test as “potentially game-changing” for dementia patients.
Nearly 4,000 individuals will have their blood tests evaluated in the second trial to determine which are most accurate at differentiating Alzheimer’s, Lewy body, and vascular dementia, among others.
Additionally, researchers will examine the feasibility of administering the tests in alternative formats, such as through home finger pricking and subsequent mailing of the samples for analysis.
Associate director of research and innovation at the Alzheimer’s Society, Dr Richard Oakley, stated that the People’s Postcode Lottery-funded trials were a critical final stage in bringing the tests to market.
It is currently understood that these exams are highly beneficial in specialised research environments where everything is in order.
Can they continue to deliver dependable results when utilised by non-specialists, on various instruments, and with a more diverse patient population?
An estimated 944,000 people are living with dementia in the United Kingdom, compared to approximately 7 million in the United States.
Alzheimer’s disease impacts approximately six out of every ten individuals with dementia.
It is hypothesised that the condition arises from the accumulation of aggregating amyloid and tau proteins in the brain and from the formation of plaques and tangles that impede optimal brain functioning.
“Invest in your future with Webull UK – get started with free shares.”
The brain eventually struggles to repair the injury, leading to the development of dementia symptoms.
Language difficulties, difficulties with thinking and reasoning, and memory impairments are typical initial symptoms of the condition, which progress in severity as time passes.
The prevalence of dementia is projected to soar in the coming years, making an inexpensive screening instrument essential for addressing the issue.
An Alzheimer’s Research UK analysis revealed that dementia became the leading cause of death in the country in 2022, claiming the lives of 74,261 individuals compared to 69,178 the previous year.
Windrush victim accuses government of waiting for their demise
