Pharmaceutical research

The Alzheimer's Research Trust welcomes research by pharmaceutical companies into dementia. From a commercial standpoint, as the population ages dementia represents an increasingly important market for pharmaceutical companies, worthy of research and development investment. The pharmaceutical industry is fundamental for research because only it can afford the massive clinical trials needed for new drug treatments to be designed, tested and then made available to the public. Within the area of drug development, the Alzheimer's Research Trust sees its own role as vital to identify potential targets for the development of useful drugs which can be taken up by the pharmaceutical companies. However, we are also exploring other alternatives unlikely to be of interest to pharmaceutical companies, such as commercially worthless or unpatentable products. This is central to a charity role.

The Alzheimer's Research Trust accepts funds from pharmaceutical companies under specific conditions and welcomes the new Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry code of practice on this subject and the transparency it provides. There are two main areas in which we have received funds:

• The Alzheimer's Research Trust accepts sponsorship for its Network conference - vital for bringing scientists together - and for fundraising and information events, on the condition that the link does not promote or endorse a particular product.
• The Alzheimer's Research Trust applies to, and accepts funds from, the charitable trusts of pharmaceutical companies. This is always under the strict condition that the research is in no way directed or the results or their publication influenced by pharmaceutical funding. As with other charitable trusts, we apply for funds for our own selected projects related to our principal objective to find a treatment, prevention or cure for Alzheimer's and related dementias. This is an important way of allowing us to fund more work without in any way compromising the independence of our research or of our views.