Can we afford to develop treatments for dementia?

Can we afford to develop treatments for dementia?

his issue and that of the BMJ (22nd June 2002), are dedicated to neuro-degenerative disorders. We have come a long way in this field over the past two decades or so. Twenty years ago we knew only that Alzheimer's disease (AD) affected many elderly people, segregated in some early onset families, and was predominantly a disorder of cholin-ergic function. Now we have five years of postlicencing e...

How Can We Develop AAC for Dementia?

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) methods are used to support people who have communication problems. Attempts have been made to apply AAC to assist the communication of people with cognitive impairments, including people with dementia. Two systems, CIRCA and Talking Mats, took as their starting points different types of communication situation which are problematic with dementia...

Can we afford not to have integrated dementia services?

Providing outpatient prescription drugs through Medicare: can we afford to? Can we afford not to?

HPV vaccine: Can we afford to hesitate?

To the Editor: Cervical cancer, caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, is highly prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa. The estimated annual incidence of cervical cancer is 35/100 000 women, with 22.5/100 000 associated deaths. This is in stark contrast to the 6.6/100 000 cases and 2.7/100 000 deaths reported in developed countries such as the USA, where HPV vaccination has been available si...