Brussels, 12/11/2009 (Agence Europe) - Member states must coordinate their resources and research efforts to combat neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Such, in substance, is the message delivered on Thursday 12 November by the European Parliament in a resolution adopted by show of hands.
Around 7.3 million people in Europe suffer from Alzheimer's disease and related disorders, a figure that is expected to double by 2020. No cures are available at the moment and knowledge about prevention and treatment is limited. The resolution adopted on Thursday urges EU member states to develop a common research agenda in the field of neurodegenerative diseases while also improving epidemiological data on Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. MEPs urge for large-scale epidemiological and clinical studies as part of transnational cooperation and call for the setting in place of a multidisciplinary approach embracing diagnosis, treatment, prevention and social research. They also believe research should explore the links between the ageing process and dementia and between dementia and depression in the elderly. However, the resolution points out, research priorities should focus on prevention, early diagnosis and standard diagnostic tools and the creation of broad-based databases.
MEPs urge the Commission to include the problems of dementia in all EU disease prevention measures while member states are encouraged to promote “brain-healthy” lifestyles. In this context, they suggest a European Year of the Brain should be launched to raise awareness of brain-related diseases associated with ageing. The Parliament points out that action to be carried out should be in cooperation with industry and be based on existing structures in order to avoid having to create new administrative structures.
Finally, MEPs consider that all future initiatives on joint research activities should be adopted under the EU's legal competency for research. This would give Parliament co-decision powers once the Lisbon Treaty enters into force. (O.L./transl.jl)