New figures show an estimated 44 million people worldwide now have dementia, up from 35 million in 2010, and that number will reach 76 million in 2030, and 135 million by 2050.
The new estimates are a "staggering" increase of 17% over figures published in 2009, Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI) said in a Policy Brief for heads of government released this week, ahead of the first G8 Dementia Summit, which will take place in London, United Kingdom, on December 11.
The current burden and future impact of the dementia epidemic have been "underestimated, particularly for the Asia East and Sub-Saharan African regions," the brief says. It notes that the global burden will soon shift to poorer countries. By 2050, 71% of all people with dementia will live in low or middle income countries, the ADI predicts.
"At the eve of the G8 Dementia Summit in London, UK, it is not just the G8 countries, but all nations, that must commit to a sustained increase in dementia research," ADI executive director Marc Wortmann said in a statement.
"The governments of the world's richest nations are focusing today upon dementia. This is a global problem that is, increasingly, impacting on developing countries with limited resources and little time to develop comprehensive systems of social protection, health and social care," added Martin Prince, from King's College London and author of the Policy Brief.
Most Governments "Woefully Unprepared"
"While we all hope for advances in treatment that could blunt the impact of the coming epidemic, we need to agree now to work together to close the diagnosis and treatment gap. Nobody should be left without access to support and care," Prince said.
As reported previously by Medscape Medical News, the World Alzheimer's Report 2011 put the economic cost of dementia at $604 billion annually, or 1% of global gross domestic product. These costs will escalate at least proportionally with numbers affected, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, the ADI warns in the Policy Brief.
How to provide long-term care for patients with dementia must be a public health priority, the ADI says. The World Alzheimer's Report 2013 called on governments around the world to make dementia caregiving a priority by implementing national plans and by initiating urgent national debates on this issue.
However, most governments are "woefully unprepared" for the dementia epidemic, the Brief warns. To date, only 13 of 193 World Health Organization countries have national dementia plans in place.
The US National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease announced in 2012 calls on the government and private sector to intensify efforts to treat or prevent Alzheimer's and related dementias and to improve care and services.
This Policy Brief emphasizes that dementia is a "global epidemic, which demands a global solution," Matthew Baumgart, senior director of public policy at the Alzheimer's Association, which is a member of ADI, told Medscape Medical News.
"However, Alzheimer's disease and dementia are in a similar place to HIV and cancer 20 to 30 years ago, when fear, ignorance and stigma prevailed. But history shows major diseases can be made manageable, even preventable, with sufficient political will and research investment," Baumgart said. "We stopped polio. We've found ways to treat heart disease, and can now prevent, treat, and even cure many kinds of cancer."
"The G8 Dementia Summit," he added, "is an auspicious opportunity to make Alzheimer's and dementia research a global priority, and to promote increased global cooperation and coordination. Collaboration is needed between countries, companies, advocacy groups, people with dementia and their families, and the public to demand and discover answers to this monumental problem. By accelerating these alliances, the G8 summit has the potential to be a key milestone and turning point in the fight against Alzheimer's disease and dementia."
According to the ADI, "best estimates" are that 10% of dementia cases may be avoided by improvements in public health. "Campaigns that target smoking, underactivity, obesity, hypertension and diabetes should be prioritised as well as education and other cognitive enhancement," the brief advises.
The new estimates are a "staggering" increase of 17% over figures published in 2009, Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI) said in a Policy Brief for heads of government released this week, ahead of the first G8 Dementia Summit, which will take place in London, United Kingdom, on December 11.
The current burden and future impact of the dementia epidemic have been "underestimated, particularly for the Asia East and Sub-Saharan African regions," the brief says. It notes that the global burden will soon shift to poorer countries. By 2050, 71% of all people with dementia will live in low or middle income countries, the ADI predicts.
"At the eve of the G8 Dementia Summit in London, UK, it is not just the G8 countries, but all nations, that must commit to a sustained increase in dementia research," ADI executive director Marc Wortmann said in a statement.
"The governments of the world's richest nations are focusing today upon dementia. This is a global problem that is, increasingly, impacting on developing countries with limited resources and little time to develop comprehensive systems of social protection, health and social care," added Martin Prince, from King's College London and author of the Policy Brief.
Most Governments "Woefully Unprepared"
"While we all hope for advances in treatment that could blunt the impact of the coming epidemic, we need to agree now to work together to close the diagnosis and treatment gap. Nobody should be left without access to support and care," Prince said.
As reported previously by Medscape Medical News, the World Alzheimer's Report 2011 put the economic cost of dementia at $604 billion annually, or 1% of global gross domestic product. These costs will escalate at least proportionally with numbers affected, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, the ADI warns in the Policy Brief.
How to provide long-term care for patients with dementia must be a public health priority, the ADI says. The World Alzheimer's Report 2013 called on governments around the world to make dementia caregiving a priority by implementing national plans and by initiating urgent national debates on this issue.
However, most governments are "woefully unprepared" for the dementia epidemic, the Brief warns. To date, only 13 of 193 World Health Organization countries have national dementia plans in place.
The US National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease announced in 2012 calls on the government and private sector to intensify efforts to treat or prevent Alzheimer's and related dementias and to improve care and services.
This Policy Brief emphasizes that dementia is a "global epidemic, which demands a global solution," Matthew Baumgart, senior director of public policy at the Alzheimer's Association, which is a member of ADI, told Medscape Medical News.
"However, Alzheimer's disease and dementia are in a similar place to HIV and cancer 20 to 30 years ago, when fear, ignorance and stigma prevailed. But history shows major diseases can be made manageable, even preventable, with sufficient political will and research investment," Baumgart said. "We stopped polio. We've found ways to treat heart disease, and can now prevent, treat, and even cure many kinds of cancer."
"The G8 Dementia Summit," he added, "is an auspicious opportunity to make Alzheimer's and dementia research a global priority, and to promote increased global cooperation and coordination. Collaboration is needed between countries, companies, advocacy groups, people with dementia and their families, and the public to demand and discover answers to this monumental problem. By accelerating these alliances, the G8 summit has the potential to be a key milestone and turning point in the fight against Alzheimer's disease and dementia."
According to the ADI, "best estimates" are that 10% of dementia cases may be avoided by improvements in public health. "Campaigns that target smoking, underactivity, obesity, hypertension and diabetes should be prioritised as well as education and other cognitive enhancement," the brief advises.
