Ministers will pump extra £2m into race to develop game-changing dementia blood tests by 2030
MINISTERS will pump an extra £2million into the race to develop game-changing dementia blood tests by 2030.
Funds will be used from the Dementia Goals programme set up in 2022 in honour of late actress Dame Barbara Windsor.
Babs, best known for EastEnders and for her Carry On film roles, died of the condition in 2020.
Experts from top universities in Oxford, Cambridge and London think they can spot it from signals in blood, along with mental testing of patients.
More than 3,000 volunteers, dubbed Babs’ Army, will be enrolled in a trial boosted by the cash.
Science minister Lord Patrick Vallance said: “New ways of testing for dementia earlier could help patients get the right treatment, sooner — ultimately meaning more quality time with their loved ones.”
The READ-OUT trial is investigating which signs in the blood most accurately predict dementia.
It also received cash from the £5million Blood Biomarkers challenge led by Alzheimer’s charities.
Dr Richard Oakley, of the Alzheimer’s Society, said: “Early diagnosis is crucial to help people manage symptoms and avoid ending up in crisis.
“We have been calling for dementia to be made a priority for years and while there is a lot more to do, these are important steps.
“By working together we will progress further faster.”