Discworld author Sir Terry Pratchett has called for the government to help researchers find a cure for Alzheimer's disease. The author, who is patron of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, is currently appearing in a BBC2 documentary on his personal experience of the disease. He has expressed his frustration at the absence of additional research funding in the recently published national dementia strategy. "I'd just like to see this disease wiped out and I haven't heard them doing anything about more money for research into actually helping that come about" he remarked.
Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, agreed with Sir Terry. Less than three per cent of the medical research budget is devoted to a condition that will cost 50 billion a year within a generation she claimed. Ms Wood also revealed that the author's campaigning has inspired around 200,000 worth of donations to the charity. Alzheimer's disease affects around 417,000 people in the UK, making it the most common form of dementia.