Grant Funds January 28 Community Event at Ontario Science Centre and Expanded Clinical Trial Education Programs
TORONTO – January 22, 2019 —The Global Alzheimer’s Platform Foundation and Toronto Memory Program have initiated a multi-faceted project to educate the Ontario community about Alzheimer’s disease, brain health and the role of Alzheimer’s clinical trials. Toronto Memory Program is a member of the GAP-Net network of 70 prominent research sites working with the nonprofit Global Alzheimer’s Platform Foundation to speed and improve clinical trials.
The Global Alzheimer’s Platform Foundation announced that it has made a $90,000US grant to Toronto Memory Program. The GAP grant has allowed Toronto Memory Program to hire a Clinical Trial Educator and Community Liaison. Toronto Memory Program will establish a regular presence within a variety of community settings including large family practices, pharmacies, and seniors’ centers, host on-site Alzheimer’s disease education and regular memory screening clinics and create new referral pathways to clinical trials. The GAP Grant program is a highly competitive grant program that funds innovative clinical trial sites.
“We’re thrilled to be working with Dr. Cohen and her team to teach people about their brains and how they can get involved in Alzheimer’s research – even if they aren’t experiencing significant cognitive decline or memory loss,” said John Dwyer, CEO of the Global Alzheimer’s Platform Foundation. “Toronto Memory Program’s clinic and research site are widely respected for the care and clinical trial opportunities they have provided to thousands of people.”
First GAP-Toronto Memory Program Educational Event January 28 at Ontario Science Centre
The first GAP-Toronto Memory Program community event, to educate the community about brain health, memory and Alzheimer’s research is scheduled at the Ontario Science Centre at 6:30pm on Monday, January 28, 2019. The presentation will be led by Dr. Sharon Cohen, one of Canada’s leading Alzheimer’s experts and the Medical Director of Toronto Memory Program.
“Myths surrounding Alzheimer’s disease and its potential treatments abound,” says Dr. Sharon Cohen. “Everyone deserves clear information and honest answers about their cognitive health, their risks, and the meaningful ways in which they can fight back against Alzheimer’s disease for themselves, for loved ones, and for next generations.”
Clinical trials are the key to accelerating a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, but approximately 85 to 90 percent of Alzheimer’s disease trials experience delayed recruitment, according to Applied Clinical Trials.
Memory Program’s clinic and research site are widely respected for the care and clinical trial opportunities they have provided to thousands of people.
Attendees will be able to get a free cheek swab to measure their genetic risk of Alzheimer’s disease and sign up for a free memory test. To reserve a seat for the event, you may register here.
That is slowing progress toward viable treatments, which must be confirmed in clinical trials before they are available to the public.
The prevalence of Alzheimer’s is expected to balloon as the population ages. According to the Alzheimer Society of Canada, there are over half a million Canadians living with dementia. By 2031, that number is expected to rise to 937,000, an increase of 66 per cent. The combined Canadian health-care system and out-of-pocket caregiver costs are more than $10 billion per year.
Global Alzheimer’s Platform Foundation Vice President for Provider Relations, Cyndy Cordell, also will speak at the January 28 event and will be available for media interviews about strategies to overcome challenges in recruiting for Alzheimer’s clinical trials.
Read the full release here.