Progress on research and treatment for dementia has been "achingly slow", an expert says ahead of a London summit.

G8 countries pledged to find a cure or treatment for dementia

Dr Dennis Gillings said a pledge by G8 countries to find a cure or treatment by 2025 would be "impossible" without better incentives for investment.

Dr Gillings, appointed world dementia envoy by UK PM David Cameron six month ago, called for faster and cheaper clinical trials for dementia drugs.

Hosting the event, the PM will call for a "big, bold global push" on dementia.

Around 800,000 people in the UK - and 44 million globally - have dementia.

'Special case'

Six months since the UK hosted a G8 summit on the disease at which the 2025 target was set, the prime minister is speaking at a follow-up event in central London where he will commit to accelerating progress on dementia drugs.

Experts and health officials from other G8 countries are expected to attend.

Dr Gillings warned: "Just as the world came together in the fight against HIV/AIDS, we need to free up regulation so that we can test ground-breaking new drugs.

"The amount of scrutiny by regulators is considerable, but there probably needs to be a special case made for dementia by regulators so they can help move things through more quickly...

"Simplify the clinical trials process or simplify the sort of data being demanded."

Source: BBC