Australia's A$200 million pledge to fight the A$14.7 billion Alzheimer's economic cost

The economic cost of dementia to Australia has been revealed in a new report which highlights the pressing need for greater research.

In the Alzheimer’s Australia report, it is estimated that dementia will cost A$14.7 billion ($11.3 billion) to the country in 2017, and a 5% reduction in the incidence of the condition would save A$5.7 billion.

As he welcomed the release of the report, Australia’s Minister for Aged Care, Ken Wyatt, said the government had committed A$200 million over five years to dementia research, an area where there have been some expensive failures in drug development globally.