‘Hope on the horizon' as drugs assessed for Alzheimer's prevention
Some 138 treatments are being assessed in clinical trials.
A third of drugs currently being trialled are 'repurposed' medications that are already being used to tackle other diseases, including diabetes, multiple sclerosis and cholesterol, according to the new review.
One such trial is assessing whether semaglutide, the main ingredient for the weight loss and diabetes drug Ozempic and weight loss drug Wegovy, can slow the progression of dementia.
And four late-stage trials are looking at preventing disease.
Experts said that drugs targeting amyloid protein build up in the brain, such as lecanemab and donanemab, are 'only one part of the overall strategy' as they expressed excitement over the variety of new drugs, which are being tested among patients.
The new review of Alzheimer's disease in clinical trials in 2025 found 182 clinical trials assessing the impact of 138 drugs.
The number of trials represents an 11% increase on the previous year, according to the review, which was led by an expert from the University of Nevada in the US and has been published in the journal Alzheimer's and Dementia: Translational Research and Clinical Interventions.
Commenting on the paper, Dr Sheona Scales, director of research at Alzheimer's Research UK, said: 'This year has really given us real cause for optimism.'
She said that as well as more drugs coming through the pipeline, the treatment targets are 'more diverse' and 'looking at all stages of the disease'.
She added: 'What this paper is showing us is that the pipeline of drug development is growing, it's diversifying and accelerating.'
'This latest report shows us that there is hope on the horizon for people with Alzheimer's, building on lecanemab and donanemab.'
Dr Emma Mead, chief scientific officer of the Oxford Drug Discovery Institute, added: 'Today we are at a tipping point in dementia research as we understand more and more about the diseases that drive dementia.
'This gives us opportunities to slow and ultimately stop this devastating condition and today's announcement demonstrates that researchers are able to translate these understandings towards potential new treatments.'
James Rowe, professor of cognitive neurology at the University of Cambridge and consultant neurologist, said: 'What strikes me is not just the number of new drugs, which is increasing year on year, but their range of targets (and) the range in which they work, giving us multiple shots on goal.'
On the drugs which are being investigated for the prevention of disease, Prof Rowe said: 'One of the most exciting things of this report is the number of large-scale late-stage trials on prevention.
'And the aspiration to prevent, not just treat, is starting to be seen in the figures we see in these charts today.'
He added: 'One way this can work is you take a treatment that you show to be working in people with symptoms with the illness, and then you simply bring it forward by some years.
'The ones that are in trial at the moment are really… bringing forward an effective treatment to earlier stage.'
For instance, people with a genetic risk of Alzheimer's could receive some drugs earlier to see if they protect against the disease.
On the repurposing of current drugs, Dr Mead said that it can usually take 10 to 15 years for new drugs to be tested and approved for use.
'Being able to repurpose drugs licensed for other health conditions could help to accelerate progress and help to open up other avenues to prevent or treat dementia causing diseases,' she said.
'A really promising example of this is the drug semaglutide, which is currently being trialled in people with mild cognitive impairment.'
Meanwhile, academics said lecanemab and donanemab, which can be used for treating mild cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's patients, are an 'important first step' in the battle against the disease.
The treatments were initially approved for UK use by regulators but then deemed not cost-effective for NHS use.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) is taking more evidence on donanemab and lecanemab and is expected to announce its decision in the summer.
Dr Scales added: 'Lecanemab and donanemab have represented a huge leap forward in our understanding and ability to be able to treat Alzheimer's disease.
'What they've done is they've proved that we're able to modify the course of Alzheimer's disease, and what that has done is opened up the door to future treatments that we hope are more effective, easier to deliver and and able to deliver for our patients.'
She said studies are showing 'even more complexities' around Alzheimer's and that in the future, people may be treated with a combination of drugs, depending on when they are diagnosed and the type of dementia they have.
Dr Richard Oakley, associate director of research at Alzheimer's Society, said: 'This paper shows that 2025 is shaping up to be a landmark year for Alzheimer's disease drug development.
'With more trials under way than ever before and more drugs entering the pipeline, there is hope on the horizon for the nearly one million people living with dementia in the UK.'
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The Sun
4 hours ago
- The Sun
The truth about the 7 most hyped TikTok weight loss hacks that claim to be ‘nature's Ozempic' as app cracks down
AS TikTok's popularity shows no signs of waning, the app has quickly become a hub for promoting and sharing health content - including supposed quick fixes for shedding weight, crammed into bite-sized videos. From testimonials from people who've undergone astounding weight loss transformations, to tip videos on how to achieve a calorie deficit and high-protein meal advice, there's much to choose from. 8 Weight loss content on the app can toe the line between informative and dangerous. TikTok recently went to the lengths of banning #SkinnyTok, a landing page that served as a hub for extreme dieting content, which critics said glamorised thinness and promoted disordered eating. People using the hashtag will now be redirected to mental health support resources instead. A number of weight loss ' hacks ' shared across TikTok make reference to blockbuster weight loss jabs, claiming to be 'nature's Ozempic '. According to Lucy Diamond, registered dietitian and clinical director for innovation at NHS weight management provider, Oviva, 'none of them achieve the weight loss as a GL-P1 medication would'. This is especially the case when you compare these supposed 'hacks' to medications like tirzepatide (Mounjaro) - known as the 'King King' of weight loss jabs - which spur users to drop 15 to 20 per cent of their body weight. 'A lot of them are over-promising and probably would be under-delivering in reality,' Lucy stated, pointing out that many tips shared across the platform also aren't backed up with scientific evidence. Concerningly, many of these trends will be put forward by healthcare professionals or people who claim to have nutrition credentials, imbuing viewers with a false sense of trust. 'Using that trust can be dangerous, because you think 'Well, if it's been said by a healthcare professional, it must be safe, it must be effective.' 'There is not one [TikTok weight loss hack] out of all of them that I would say is your golden ticket to weight loss. 'A lot of them are lacking robust evidence and not one of them has a direct comparison, a control trial against a GLP-1. So you can't with any evidence say these are comparable to a GLP-1.' On top of this, some of the weight loss tips shared across TikTok are just 'bizarre', Lucy added. 'Obesity is complex and simplifying how to treat it in quick fix videos can be really devastating for people who think that is going to be their answer,' she went on. 'And I do have a worry that these videos are appealing to people who don't need to lose weight.' For people whose health would be benefitted by weight loss, signposting them to the right support services is key, so they can make lifestyle changes that last in the long term, the dietitian said. 'If you following some of these quick fixes in the long run, I'd be concerned about the impact on health.' From 'natural' supplements claiming to melt weight off like Ozempic and Wegovy, to everyday ingredients like green tea, olive oil and apple cider vinegar, we give the lowdown on seven TikTok weight loss hacks. 1. Berberine 8 A supplement called berberine has been all over social media for a while, with influencers claiming it's helped them shed stubborn pounds in a matter of weeks. Some studies do suggest that berberine could aid weight loss and improve overall metabolic health. A 2020 review of trials found that while the compound seemed to reduce BMI and waist circumference, it didn't significantly reduce overall body weight. Another review conducted in 2022 found significant decreases in both weight and BMI in people who took berberine, though the individual studies reviewed were inconsistent and did not allow definite conclusions. But would Lucy recommend berberine for weight loss? 'Absolutley not,' she told Sun Health. Common side effects include diarrhoea, constipation, gas and an upset stomach. Large quantities may be fatal. 'It's sad that it's deemed as a natural alternative to Ozempic,' Lucy said. 'There is some evidence that it possibly helps lower blood sugar levels slightly - but if you're not absorbing your food, it is going to have that effect. 'For me, that is not a healthy way to lose weight. Trying to stop your food being absorbed and having awful side effects is not a healthy way to lose weight. Wegovy vs Ozempic - what's the difference? Ozempic is often used as a catch-all term for weight loss drugs, but the drug - whose active ingredient is semaglutide - is actually prescribed to treat type 2 diabetes and has the added benefit of making users lose weight. Its manufacturer Novo Nordisk later released a higher dose of semaglutide under the brand name Wegovy to treat obesity. Using Ozempic for weight loss would mean you're using it 'off label' and not for its intended purpose. Not only could that be dangerous to you, it could also mean you're depriving diabetes patients from vital medication. Wegovy and Ozempic are in a class of drugs called glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA). They work by mimicking the GLP-1 hormone produced naturally by your gut when you eat food, which signals to the brain that you're full and prevents you from overeating. 'There is no big study showing it's impactful and proven to support weight loss.' Lucy also took issue with the fact that berberine is often described as the 'nature's Ozempic', the natural alternative to GLP-1 drugs for weight loss. It's misleading to compare the supplement to Ozempic or its weight loss medications like Wegovy and Mounjaro. These medications work by mimicking the GLP-1 hormone produced naturally by your gut when you eat food, to control blood sugar levels, slow down digestion of food and reduce hunger pangs. Berberine - a supplement derived from plant compounds - can't achieve the same pharmaceutical effect and it's unlikely to be a quick and easy fix for weight loss. 'We're often sold on needing to be healthy and organic and [berberine] sells itself as being the healthier route to weight loss instead of a GLP-1 medication,' Lucy pointed out. 'For someone that really needs the GLP-1 treatment, is it delaying or causing someone to go down that path when actually there is a safe alternative route that might be right for them, that's medically supervised, supported with diet and lifestyle changes and has long term health benefits?' 2. Apple cider vinegar 8 Creators claim diluting a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in water and guzzling this down at the start of the day or before meals could reduce your appetite, bring down bloating and help burn fat - as well as regulate blood sugar levels. A widely quoted study from 2009 followed 175 people who consumed a drink containing one or two tablespoons of vinegar each day. After three months, those who consumed vinegar lost very modest amounts of weight - about two to four pounds. Another small study found that vinegar consumption might help suppress appetite - but it did so by making participants feel sick. But according to Lucy, 'there is no evidence that shows us that apple cider vinegar is proven to have a fat burning effect'. 'I think there is some suggesting it might slightly lower your post-meal rise in glucose, but not enough to be a convincing story that this can help with preventing diabetes, treating diabetes and be effective for weight loss,' she went on. 'For me, the more worrying thing about [taking apple cider vinegar for weight loss] is the effect it might have on the stomach in the long run.' The condiment's 'high acid level' could irritate the stomach and 'possibly' be damaging in the long-term. 3. Green tea Sipping on a cup of green tea is a healthy habit - especially if you're having it instead of sweet or fizzy drinks. But can it help melt off pounds, like some TikTok creators claim? The evidence remains unclear, according to Lucy. One creator - who bills herself as a holistic chef and certified nutrition coach - claimed 'green tea is one of the best beverages for getting fat off the body', advising viewers to drink 'three to five cups to notice a difference'. Another - this one a fat loss dietitian - claimed the polyphenols in the tea helped stimulate GLP-1, the fullness hormone weight loss jabs mimic. Others link green tea's caffeine content to its fat loss potential, with some creators claiming that drinking the stuff on an empty stomach could help burn fat, according to Lucy. The drink has also been the subject of extensive research, but evidence remains shaky, the dietitian stated. 'The evidence base is just not there,' she said. 'And if you're comparing [green tea] to a GLP-1 - which can bring on 15 to 20 percent body weight loss - this is not going to get you there.' At most, drinking green tea will amount to 'a couple of percentages of fat on the weight loss front'. She called out 'the unrealistic expectations of overpromising something supplementary to your diet that's going to help lose your weight'. 'It may alongside a healthy balanced diet, but it's the healthy balanced diet and lifestyle changes that's driving weight loss,' the dietician stated. 4. Yerba Mate 8 Another form of tea called Yerba Mate has also been linked to weight loss on the app. Like green and black tea, the traditional South American brew contains caffeine. It can be consumed both warm and cold. Creators - one of them a plastic surgeon - claim the brew can help increase the metabolism, thus leading to weight loss. Another said drinking Yerba Mate had 'snatched' her waist after having kids, so much so that her relatives questioned whether she was taking weight loss jabs. She touted the brew as a 'natural' solution to weight loss. While Yerba Mate might feel 'newer on the market', Lucy said: 'I think it's just your next green tea. 'It's the shiny new version of your green tea in the weight loss arena because it's claiming the same things: it's going to speed up your metabolism, it's going to reduce your appetite. 'And yes, some of us experience suppression of appetite for a short period after caffeine. 'But that is not going to be a great energy expenditure to lead to impactful weight loss in the short term or long term.' She took issue to health professionals peddling the product on the app without sufficient evidence. 'As a dietitian, the title is protected and we're on a health care professionals council, so we have to be really careful that anything we say externally is always backed by evidence. 'Have we got a big trial or a big study that can tell us that, yes, this is factually correct, this is going to be your answer to weight loss? 'If we don't have that, we have to tread very carefully and ensure that everything we do say is evidence based. 'And ideally, the study will not be just in a small cohort and not in animals, but a larger, robust clinical trial in humans that shows some great outcomes in humans.' 5. Buckwheat - the 'Slavic girl diet' 8 The so-called 'Slavic girl diet' has been making the rounds on TikTok since last year. It rests on the premise that Eastern European and Russian women stay slim thanks to humble staples like buckwheat and pickled vegetables. Videos made under the hashtag have captions like 'Slavic girls know the ultimate trick to staying skinny is buckwheat' and 'debloating secrets of Slavic women'. 'The Slavic diet is full of de-bloating foods that keep your waist tiny and skin glowing,' o ne creator claimed. Lucy was slower to dismiss this trend compared to others, saying it 'sits on the fence' when it comes to weight loss research. Buckwheat - small, nugget-like grains that can be eaten in the same way as rice - is gluten free and high in protein and fibre. 'We know that a high-protein, high-fibre diet - like buckwheat - really does aid satiety, so it keeps you fuller for longer and is digested more slowly by the stomach,' she said. ' Increasing your fibre and increasing your protein are the right things to do to help with satiety and are also a foundation for a healthy way to lose weight. 'There are really robust clinical trials that support that a high fibre diet helps with weight loss, but also helps with your overall health. It actually reduces the risk of certain cancers, improves your cardiovascular health 'So part of me kind of agrees with this, but not fully.' The dietitian noted that 'any monogenic diet is not your answer'. Simply eating more buckwheat won't be the key to healthier habits and weight loss. Instead, you should be upping your fibre with other foods, such as beans, lentils and pulses, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Aim for at least 25 grams a day. But do go easy on the fibre at first, Lucy advised While foods with the nutrient can help with bloating and constipation, increasing it too quickly - especially if you're not drinking enough water or exercising regularly - can 'have the reverse effect'. 'So I think it comes with some terms and conditions that are not advertised by the shiny flat stomach' in TikTok videos, Lucy said. 6. 'Excessive hydration' 8 Were you to browse through weight loss content on TikTok, it's likely that creators will include drinking lots of water in their lists of tips. Some will advise keeping a filled water bottle on you at all times, while others prescribe amounts such as three litres or gallon a day - which to Lucy seemed ludicrous. 'There are benefits to hydration from a concentration perspective, from a bowel perspective. 'So, for me hydration is key - but healthy hydration in line with the guidance, six to eight glasses a day. 'From a weight loss perspective, I don't think there is any solid evidence to be recommending it.' She mentioned that some creators claim drinking water will help 'flush out' your digestive system. How to spot weight loss fads on TikTok 'Have a look at who is posting it, what is their background, what is their profession,' Lucy advised. Follow up by doing your research - check if there are large, clinical trials that back up health advice you're coming across. If you suspect someone is making unsafe claims on TikTok: Go to the specific video Tap the 'Share' button (arrow icon) Tap 'Report' (flag icon) Select a reason. Choose 'Misleading Information' or 'Health and Safety' (depending on what's available in your region and TikTok version). If it's medical or nutritional misinformation, select: 'Misinformation' → 'Health Information Add comments (optional but helpful!) Mention why it's unsafe (e.g., 'Promotes starvation diet under 500 calories/day,' 'Encourages unproven supplements'). 'It's rare, but it can be dangerous to be flushing huge amounts through your body, through your kidney,' Lucy warned. But the dietitian did acknowledge that 'sometimes hunger cues can be confused with thirst', so staying well hydrated throughout the day is key. 'It's quite an old school [tip], have a glass of water before your meal,' she said, pointing out that there is some 'small evidence' that having water before a meal may result in modest weight loss - but only 'in combination with following calorie reduced diets'. Another study from 2009 showed that people ate fewer calories if they water before meals. 'Hydration is great, overhydration is crazy,' Lucy stressed. 7. Olive oil shots Social media users have claimed that taking a shot of olive oil in the morning could 'kickstart' your metabolism and help with weight loss. But Lucy wasn't so sure about the unorthodox hack. 'Olive oil has its health benefits - from a cardiovascular disease perspective it definitely has its place at the table. 'But when it comes to a weight loss tool, I have not seen convincing evidence for it. 'It isn't a magic quick fix because a tablespoon of olive oil is the same calorie-wise as a tablespoon of fat, so it's not saving you any calories.' It probably won't do much for your gut health either - fibrous food and probiotics are much more likely to help, the dietitian went on. Stick to drizzling olive oil on your salad rather than shotting it, Lucy advised.
Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Warning issued to women over 'Mounjaro babies'
Blockbuster weight loss jabs could make contraception less effective, and prove harmful to unborn babies, according to an urgent warning from UK drugs chiefs. In a new alert, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) urged women using any slimming injection including Ozempic and Wegovy to use birth control, due to potential risks to both the pregnant woman and the foetus. Meanwhile, those using the 'King-Kong' of weight loss jabs, Mounjaro, were told to 'double-up' their methods of contraception if using The Pill. 'Mounjaro may reduce the effectiveness of oral contraceptives in those who are overweight,' the alert read, adding that safe sex is 'especially important for the four weeks after starting Mounjaro and after any dose increase.' Officials added that women who become pregnant while using the medications must cease taking them immediately. Those who are breastfeeding should the injections stop too. 'There is not enough safety data to know whether taking the medicine could cause harm to the baby,' the MHRA said. The regulator added that, to date, it had received more than 40 reports relating to pregnancy among women on the drugs. Of these, 26 were related to Mounjaro, one of which was for an unintended pregnancy. Eight related to semaglutide, the active ingredient in both Ozempic and Wegovy. The reports related to pregnancy, recorded by medics and patients, include problems such as birth defects, miscarriages, and unplanned pregnancies. The regulator added in some cases women should continue to use contraception for up to two months after stopping the medications before trying to get pregnant. Mounjaro, which boosts levels of appetite-supressing hormones, is known to make The Pill less effective due to disruption it causes to the digestive system, flushing out the contraceptive. Patients taking weight-loss injections are already advised to use contraception, and to stop taking the drugs if they get pregnant, in leaflets that come with the drugs. Some 35,000 British women of child-bearing age were prescribed the jabs on the NHS in England in 2024, official figures suggest. However, this is likely to be an underestimate, given that many acquire the drug privately. The MHRA alert also warned against buying the medicines from unregulated and non-medical sellers such as beauty salons or via social media. Dr Alison Cave, MHRA chief safety officer, said: 'Skinny jabs are medicines licensed to treat specific medical conditions and should not be used as aesthetic or cosmetic treatments. 'They are not a quick fix to lose weight and have not been assessed to be safe when used in this way. 'Our guidance offers patients a 'one-stop shop' for our up-to-date advice on how to use these powerful medicines safely. 'This guidance should not be used as a substitute to reading the patient information leaflet or having a conversation with a healthcare professional as part of the prescribing process.' Experts said it was suspected how weight-loss jabs work to help patients shed pounds, was also thought to be diminishing the effectiveness of contraceptives. Dr Channa Jayasena, an expert in reproductive health at Imperial College London, explained: 'We think that the absorption of oral contraceptive pills may be reduced with GLP-1 drugs which slow down emptying of the stomach, though more research is needed to confirm this.' He added, that the MHRA's alert seemed 'sensible'. 'We don't know how harmful GLP-1 drugs are during pregnancy; however, we know that other forms of weight loss like weight loss surgery can increase chances of a miscarriage,' he said. 'So, women are advised to do all they can to prevent pregnancy while taking GLP-1 drugs.' Professor Rebecca Reynolds, an expert in metabolic medicine at the University of Edinburgh, added that some studies had indicated the drugs could increase the risk of birth defects. 'There is hardly any available data from human studies to be able to advise if these weight loss drugs are safe in pregnancy. 'The data from animal studies suggests the potential for harm with low birthweight and skeletal abnormalities, though more evidence is needed to assess if there are risks of taking these drugs in pregnant humans.' Reacting to the MHRA's announcement Jasmine Shah, medication safety officer at the National Pharmacy Association, urged women using the drugs to take note. 'Community pharmacies have been experiencing unprecedented levels of interest for weight loss injections,' she said. 'It is therefore important that regulations and guidance keep pace with this demand and that patient safety is put at the heart of everything we do. 'Medicines are not like ordinary goods for sale; they must be handled with great care because they have the power to harm as well as to heal.' There are dozens of reports of women experiencing unexpected pregnancies while taking weight loss injections. Some of these are linked to the drugs helping people lose weight which in turn, boosts their fertility. However, there have been a smaller number whereby it is believed weight loss jabs have made contraceptive less effective. One US woman, Deb Oliviara, who is based in the US, detailed how she became pregnant while using semaglutide. 'It lessens the effectiveness of birth control and it also heightens your fertility,' she said in a clip viewed nearly a million times. She added she stopped using the drug immediately upon learning she was expecting. Another woman, who posted on a Reddit forum, revealed she had become pregnant while using Mounjaro, despite taking contraception. She shared an image of her positive pregnancy test and wrote that weight loss jabs ' make it hard for oral medications (like birth control) to be effective'. Weight-loss injections belong to class of drugs known as GLP- agonists, which help encourage fullness by mimicking a natural hormone released after eating. Some, like Mounjaro, also act on a second hormone involved in appetite and blood sugar control. The alert comes as findings suggest taking Ozempic and similar drugs may raise the risk of a 'silent cancer'. Reports of suspected side effects for drugs in the UK are logged under the MHRA's 'Yellow Card' scheme. Officials use the same database, set-up in the wake of the 1960s thalidomide scandal, to track the safety of Covid vaccines. Although impossible to prove, it allows doctors, pharmacists and patients to report adverse reactions believed to be caused by drugs used in Britain. This can lead to them being reviewed, having warnings added to the labels or being taken off the market completely.
North Wales Chronicle
5 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Alzheimer's blood test ‘can accurately pick up early symptoms'
Experts from the Mayo Clinic in the US have provided further evidence that blood tests can work to accurately diagnose dementia, by examining two proteins in blood plasma. These proteins – amyloid beta 42/40 and p-tau217 – are associated with amyloid plaque build-up, which is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. Researchers found the blood test was highly accurate, with 95% sensitivity, which means it was 95% accurate in picking up people with memory problems, with very few cases missed. It was also 82% for specificity, which means it was also highly accurate in ruling out people without dementia. The study was carried out on more than 500 people in an outpatient memory clinic, meaning it is real-world data. The blood test has already been approved by the Food and Drug Administration regulator in the US. Dr Gregg Day, who led the study in the Alzheimer's and Dementia journal, said the test was as good as more invasive tests currently in use. 'Our study found that blood testing affirmed the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease with 95% sensitivity and 82% specificity,' he said. 'When performed in the outpatient clinical setting, this is similar to the accuracy of cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers of the disease and is much more convenient and cost-effective.' Overall, researchers found that p-tau217 levels were higher in patients with Alzheimer's disease versus those without the disease. Dr Day said the next steps in the research were to evaluate blood-based testing in more diverse patient populations and people with early Alzheimer's who show no cognitive symptoms. Dr Richard Oakley, associate director for research and innovation at the Alzheimer's Society in the UK, said the results 'suggest this test is very accurate' and could be used alongside other tests and observations from a trained health professional. He added: 'This study shows how blood tests are making diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease quicker, easier and more accessible than ever before in a real-world setting. 'While focused on Alzheimer's disease, the test was evaluated in people with other types of dementias too, showing that it may help with differentiate causes of cognitive decline – though more research in diverse groups of individuals and in community-based setting is still needed. 'Currently diagnosis options in the UK are often slow, expensive and can be invasive, meaning thousands miss out on the benefits one can bring. 'It's great to see blood tests like this approved for clinical use in the US – we hope to see the same in the NHS, which is why we're part of the Blood Biomarker Challenge.' The Blood Biomarker Challenge is a multi-million-pound research programme supported by the Alzheimer's Society, Alzheimer's Research UK and the National Institute for Health and Care Research. Its goal is to bring blood tests for dementia diagnosis to the NHS by 2029. Dr Oakley said: 'Blood tests will be critical to accelerate diagnosis and give more people access to the care, support and treatments they desperately need faster than ever before. 'We must see long-term investment in the tools and workforce needed to ensure everyone living with dementia can get an early an accurate diagnosis, which is even more important with disease-modifying treatments on the horizon.' Dr Julia Dudley, head of research at Alzheimer's Research UK, said: 'We urgently need to improve how we diagnose dementia and it's great to see international research working towards this goal. 'Blood tests in this study look at p-tau217 and amyloid beta 42/40, and showed the tests offered high accuracy in confirming Alzheimer's disease. 'This study adds to the growing evidence that blood tests can detect the diseases that cause dementia in people with early memory and thinking problems. 'An important point to consider is that people taking part in research don't always reflect the full diversity of those affected by dementia, who might have additional conditions or other characteristics. 'That is why work is needed to understand whether these blood tests work in a real-world setting. 'In the UK, studies like the Blood Biomarker Challenge are helping to build this evidence. 'The study is testing blood tests, including p-tau217, in thousands of people from sites across the UK. 'This work will be a crucial part of making diagnosis easier and faster, which will bring us closer to a cure.'
