Clinical trials for dementia research

Why are clinical trials important?

Research funding organisations and pharmaceutical companies fund research into development of new drugs and treatments that could halt the progression of dementia and provide a cure in the future.

All new treatments pass through rigorous clinical trials to show that they are safe and effective. From first testing in people it takes around 10 years, involves thousands of people and costs £15 million to make a drug available to people with dementia.

Clinical trials represent a valuable partnership between researchers and people with dementia.

Search for clinical trials online

There is now an online database of clinical trials into dementia in the UK.

This new resource allows people with dementia and their carers to access information about clinical trials and provides contact details for obtaining information on individual trials.

Read about how to use the clinical trials database

A clinical trials register for Wales

The Wales Dementias and Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Network (NEURODEM Cymru) are developing a patient and carer register of people with dementia and mild cognitive impairment who are willing to take part in research.

This will act as a clinical resource for researchers looking for participants to take part in their study.

Please note that this is a new initiative and the website is currently a work in progress.

In Scotland join the research interest register

The Scottish Dementia Clinical Research Network (SDCRN) have developed a patient and carer register of people with dementia who are willing to take part in research.

This is already being used by researchers to find participants to take part in their studies.

Please go to the website sdcrn.org.uk for more information.