The European Group of Governmental Experts on Dementia held an in-person meeting on 7 and 8 October in Geneva, Switzerland, in advance of the 34th Alzheimer Europe Conference (#34AEC). 19 European countries were represented at the meeting, in addition to representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO), WHO Europe, from the European Commission’s DG Research & Innovation (DG RTD), the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and from Alzheimer Europe. Over the course of the two-day meeting, the group heard about national dementia strategies and policies, as well as European and international policy developments.
At the national level, representatives from ministries from Belgium (Flanders), Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Malta, Poland, Sweden and United Kingdom (Scotland) provided updates to the group on recent developments in their respective countries. Alzheimer Europe led discussions on the use of anti-amyloid treatments and recent developments at a European level, as well as presenting on putting risk-reduction research into practice. The WHO provided an update on work at an international and European region level, including on the future of the Global Action Plan on Dementia.
The European Commission presented on the place of dementia and brain health in the EU’s research programmes, whilst the OECD presented on their work which has relevance for dementia. The European Group of Governmental Experts on Dementia was formed in 2018 by Alzheimer Europe, the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, the Italian Ministry of Health and the Scottish Government and is facilitated by Alzheimer Europe.