On 7 April, the European Prevention of Alzheimer’s Dementia (EPAD) project featured in national UK news. EPAD co-coordinator Professor Craig Ritchie and one of the EPAD study participants Eileen Penman provided comments on the potential impact of Brexit on EU/UK research collaboration and projects such as EPAD in particular. Both Craig and Eileen highlighted the importance of EU wide collaboration and their concerns on the future standing of Scotland in research outside of the EU.
“While funding for the present project is secure, what happens as we move forward with our research findings?” “Normally, we would be very excited about following on with the results of our research and using that as a platform to the development of treatment.” “But we can’t be excited because of the uncertainty of future EU funding and continued collaboration.”reported Craig Ritchie. Eileen Penman said she had “great pride” in taking part in the EPAD programm. “When I heard we were to leave the EU, it was a devastating moment and I don’t think people carefully considered what would happen to all these vitally important research programmes.”
The story was reported on the front cover of The Sunday Post in Scotland in an article titled “Scotland’s universities warn Brexit threatens world-leading dementia work that could transform lives around the globe”. The article can be read here. The story was also covered on the television channel STV on its main news bulletins (watch broadcast here).The EPAD project has received support from the Innovative Medicines Initiative Joint Undertaking under grant agreement n° 115736, resources of which are composed of financial contribution from the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) and EFPIA companies’ in kind contribution.
