Alzheimer’s Research UK, the Alzheimer’s Society and the National Institute of Health and Care Research have announced a £5m-funded project to make blood tests for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) available for NHS use.
Blood tests for the condition could become available on the NHS within five years, said experts.
The aim of the Blood Biomarker Challenge project is to implement new blood tests that can diagnose AD earlier and more accurately than current standard methods.
Currently affecting 900,000 people in the UK, AD is a brain disorder that progressively destroys memory, thinking skills and eventually the ability to carry out simple tasks.
The Alzheimer’s Research UK’s 2023 Dementia Attitudes Monitor report has revealed that blood tests for diagnosing dementia would be more acceptable for the public in comparison to the current tests available.
The procedures to diagnose people with AD presently rely on brain imaging or lumbar punctures, which can be ““invasive” and have “uncomfortable side effects,” said Dr Susan Kohlhaas, executive director of research and partnerships at Alzheimer’s Research UK.
The report found that 54% of UK adults would be hesitant about undergoing a lumbar puncture, despite its ability to diagnose suspected dementia in the NHS.
In contrast, 90% of respondents said they would feel more comfortable taking a blood test if one became available.
“Low-cost tools like blood tests that are non-invasive and simpler to administer than current gold standard methods are the answer to this,” added Kohlhaas.
Currently, there are a range of blood tests designed for AD in the research stages. Some of those tests look for specific proteins, including amyloid and tau, which occur before dementia symptoms appear.
However, there is no clinically validated test yet available in the UK or to patients in the NHS.
Kohlhaas said: “We’re sitting on the cusp of a new era of dementia treatments, and doctors are likely going to see more people coming forward for a diagnosis.”
Introducing new blood tests into UK healthcare for dementia would be a “truly game-changing win in the fight against this devastating disease,” said Fiona Carragher, director of research and influencing at Alzheimer’s Research UK.