NEWS
NHS trialling blood tests for dementia
Two expert research teams, one from University College London and the other from Dementias Platform UK at the University of Oxford, will conduct UK- wide clinical trials to identify blood tests to boost dementia diagnosis. It is hoped that the research will lead to blood tests for diagnosing Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia on the NHS within five years. Timely and accurate diagnosis of the diseases that cause dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease, is crucial, as it means people can access vital care and support and take part in medical research. This will be imperative if new treatments such as lecanemab and donanemab are approved for use in the NHS, as these work best for people in the earliest stage of their disease. According to NHS England, less than two-thirds of people in England with dementia have a formal diagnosis. The most recent Memory Assessment Services Audit shows only 2% of people who receive a dementia diagnosis are diagnosed using ‘gold standard’ tests like PET scans and lumbar punctures, which allow diseases like Alzheimer’s to be definitively identified. The research studies, which will
begin recruiting participants soon, are funded by the Blood Biomarker Challenge – a multi-million-pound award given by Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, the National Institute for Health and Care Research, and Gates Ventures (the private office of Bill Gates), including £5 million raised by players of the People’s Postcode Lottery.
Commenting on the news,
Dr Sheona Scales, Director of Research at Alzheimer’s Research UK said: “We’ve seen the enormous potential that blood tests are showing for improving the diagnostic process for people and their loved ones in other disease areas. Now we need to see this same step-change in dementia, which is the greatest health challenge facing the UK.’’ In recent years, a number of
different blood tests that can diagnose Alzheimer’s disease and other causes of dementia have shown very promising results in research studies. But they have yet to be tested widely in ‘real life’ populations in the UK.
EDITOR’S COMMENT Educational opportunities
Welcome to the May issue of Pathology in Practice as we rapidly bear down on the midpoint of the year. The springtime is event season and so I’ve found myself out and about rather a lot over the past few weeks at a variety of events and seminars. And this will continue for a while yet with a new premises event for one of our partners and the always eagerly anticipated BSMT Annual Microbiology Conference in early May. Look out for event news and reviews of these and others in this and future issues of the journal. As a (still) relative newcomer to the world of biomedical science, for me each of these is a wonderful learning and networking opportunity. While online activity such as Teams calls and webinars have retained an important place in the post-COVID-19 world, there’s no substitute for meeting, hearing and seeing in person.
One considerable benefit is the chance for those working in the NHS to hear how laboratories work elsewhere in the world and what can be learned to improve patient care on UK shores. Two examples stand out for me over the past weeks, firstly hearing Ivan Brandslund, Professor of Clinical Biochemistry at Denmark’s Lillebaelt Hospital, speaking about his laboratory and how it has developed and grown including a number of technological
advancements which have been introduced there and how it functions as part of the wider hospital. The second was Dr Ulysses Balis, Professor of Pathology Informatics at the University of Michigan, who detailed the clinical deployment of digital pathology at the institution and its associated laboratories and hospitals. Both were wonderful opportunities
to hear from individuals doing pioneering work within their fields, and the response from those scientists and laboratory staff present clearly demonstrated the aim of long-term improvement in patient care. Our cover and cover article (starting on page 15) are from UK NEQAS and follow on from Barbara De la Salle’s excellent ‘Opinion’ column in our February issue. More than ‘just’ EQA, UK NEQAS offers a huge range of educational opportunities and support to laboratories all around the world. I’m pleased to say this marks the start of what will be a collaboration with the charity, which will see PiP readers benefit from a range of articles across the variety of laboratory disciplines which UK NEQAS serves.
So whether it’s out and about, online, or in the pages of this journal, there’s no shortage of opportunities for learning out there; why not take advantage?
andymyall@pathologyinpractice.com
BIVDA unveils new three-year strategy
The British In Vitro Diagnostics Association (BIVDA) has released its new three-year strategy, entitled ‘Diagnostics for All’. BIVDA says its ambition remains to
represent the core interests of its members to shape a better healthcare system for patients: one which puts diagnostics at the heart of healthcare. It says it will work collaboratively, and with increased assertiveness, with stakeholders to deliver fundamental change.
BIVDA members will continue to enjoy
the current high levels of service and support in all areas, with an additional focus on antimicrobial resistance and infectious disease, near-patient testing and pathway innovation, and genomics in cancer, infection as well as both rare and common diseases.
The strategy for 2024-27, sets out how BIVDA is seeking to make tangible progress
WWW.PATHOLOGYINPRACTICE.COM MAY 2024
in these areas and increase the value of medical diagnostics in the healthcare system. In her introduction to the document, Helen Dent, BIVDA Chief Executive, writes: “BIVDA will focus on demonstrating the value of medical diagnostics across different settings and uses by patients, clinicians and the public. This will involve a different approach to traditional trade body activity as we pivot to being a partner, an enabler and facilitator to our network and utilise our unique position as an independent organisation with unrivalled access to knowledge, technology, ideas and expertise within our secretariat team and massive membership base.” Read the full document at:
bit.ly/PIP-BIVDA.
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