On 6 and 7 June, Alzheimer Europe (AE) welcomed the members of the European Working Group of People with Dementia (EWGPWD) in Brussels for their first in-person meeting of this year. On the first day, the members actively participated in discussions centred around two key topics: anti-amyloid treatments and the use of technology by people with dementia. For the first consultation, Ange Bradshaw (AE Project Officer) provided an overview of the anti-amyloid drugs currently in development, their beneficial impact on clearing amyloid plaques and cognition, as well as the side effects in participants of clinical trials involving this type of drugs (i.e. lecanemab, donanemab and aducanumab).
The members’ feedback will be used to shape the AE position statement on anti-amyloid drugs. Dianne Gove (AE Director for Projects) then facilitated the next session seeking input from members on different statements and recommendations developed within the Interdem project regarding the use of technology by people with dementia. The last part of the first day was focused on the preparation of the EWGPWD plenary session of the 33rd Alzheimer Europe Conference (33AEC). Ana Diaz (AE Project Officer) and Chris Roberts (Chair of the EWGPWD) provided more information about this session which will be dedicated to presenting the work of the EWGPWD and Public Involvement and advocacy activities at national level.
The speakers for this session were carefully chosen from among the members who expressed interest. The following day, members participated in discussions about the Dementia in Europe Yearbook 2023, facilitated by Owen Miller (AE Policy Officer). After providing an overview of the topics that will be covered in the Yearbook, members provided feedback regarding legal capacity and supported decision-making for people with dementia. The last consultation of the second day revolved around the topic of informed consent, and re-sharing and re-use of participants’ data in different research projects. Soraya Moradi-Bachiller (AE Project Officer) provided an overview of the topic, followed by a productive discussion facilitated by Dianne. The contributions made by all members during these discussions were extremely valuable and we are looking forward to meeting them again at 33AEC in Helsinki!
