One of our members who has been diagnosed with early stage alzheimers was recommended to contact the company based in Bristol, Re;Cognition Health, with a view to gaining access to a medical trials program. He was so impressed with what he learned that he volunteered to join the scheme and also persuaded James to visit the club and tell us about it.
Re:Cognition Health is a leader of clinical services specialising in cognitive impairment. As a team, they help deliver expert clinical care to private patients and are one of the foremost providers of clinical trials in the world.
James talked us through the causes of Alzheimers, a highly technical subject made more understandable through the use of clear graphics clearly explaining the points he was making. He stated that before either medical treatments or drugs could be created it was necessary for scientists to understand the cause of the problem. He confirmed that they now knew enough for some treatments to commence clinical trials.
Initially it was hoped that patients having mild symptoms would have further progression slowed or halted, whilst much further down the line a cure is what everyone is aiming for.
A new drug was announced earlier this year which it is hoped will help many patients continue to live their lives at their current stage for longer. The hope is that with so many organisations around the world all searching for solutions one will be found and this dreaded disease, like so many others such as polio and cancer will be either obliterated or controlled.
This compelling and optimistic talk by James was well received by our members who asked numerous questions at the end and were happy to accept that the research under way should soon start delivering exciting results.