We are pleased to announce that the second phase of the Rethinking Alzheimer’s disease project kicks off! Rethinking Alzheimer’s Disease, coordinated by EBC, in collaboration with the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), is a research-driven project offering policy recommendations to make tangible changes with the aim to improve the lives of people living with Alzheimer’s disease across Europe. The second phase will focus on how we can rethink the way we approach Alzheimer’s disease patient pathway from diagnosis to care.

About Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease that progresses in stages, beginning with a long silent phase before symptoms occur. It is the underlying cause in 70% of people with dementia. Dementia, which is not a specific disease but an overall term that describes a group of symptoms, is characterised by a decline in memory, thinking, behaviour and the ability to perform everyday activities.

It is estimated that 7 million people in Europe alone already live with Alzheimer’s disease. With a rapidly ageing population, it is a growing public health concern worldwide as this number is projected to rise to a staggering 14 million by 2030.

Rethinking Alzheimer’s Disease Patient Pathway: From Diagnosis to Care 

Given that timely detection and diagnosis are crucial for disease management, the White Paper of the 1st phase of the project “Rethinking Alzheimer’s Disease: Detection & Diagnosis” examined the challenges that need to be overcome in the EU to ensure the health care systems are appropriately equipped to provide timely and accurate diagnosis to those who may benefit most from new diagnostic tools and therapies. 

The second phase “Rethinking Alzheimer’s Disease Patient Pathway: From Diagnosis to Care” will take a deep dive into transformative approaches to the care pathway. The Perspective Paper, to be released as part of the project, will provide concrete policy recommendations and will seek to reshape the patient pathway in ways that enhance outcomes and quality of life for people living with Alzheimer’s. 

About the Rethinking projects

The Rethinking Alzheimer’s disease project falls under the Rethinking project series, led by EBC. The aim of the Rethinking projects is to develop policy priorities around challenges in brain disorders and present a consensus on what needs to be achieved to resolve the most pressing challenges in brain conditions, today and in the future. There is a clear need to rethink the management of the brain disorders and redesign the care pathways to ensure optimal treatment and care for all people living with brain disorders in Europe.  

After the launch of the policy report ‘Rethinking Schizophrenia: Beyond the Voices’ in March 2024, falling under the 1st phase of the Rethinking Schizophrenia project, we are pleased to announce that the second phase, focusing on the schizophrenia care pathway, officially kicks off on the occasion of the European Mental Health Week! The Rethinking Schizophrenia project challenges the status quo and refreshes the European policy debate on people living with schizophrenia, recognises the essential role of social support and encourages multi-stakeholder-driven policy. 

According to the World Health Organization, 20 million people worldwide have schizophrenia. There is a need to improve the care of individuals with schizophrenia, but there is an in-depth patient care pathway analysis required to aid the development of concrete strategies for advances in schizophrenia care.

The second phase of the project, Rethinking the Schizophrenia Care Pathway, co-created by the European Brain Council (EBC) and the European Psychiatric Association (EPA), will aim to examine health gains and societal impacts resulting from optimal healthcare interventions in comparison with current care or inadequate treatment and convert data evidence to policy recommendations on how to improve the care pathways. In-depth patient care pathway analysis will be conducted for optimized care and development of concrete strategies. The project covers 9 countries (Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Spain and UK).