Actor Brian Cox urges government to ready NHS for upcoming dementia cures

Brian Cox, aged 80, highlighted his personal experience with dementia after losing both his brother and brother-in-law to the disease. He argues that while scientific breakthroughs are bringing a potential cure closer, the NHS is not prepared to provide the next generation of treatments or accurate diagnostics. To address this, Cox is promoting a petition that asks the government to revamp early diagnosis pathways, link patients to clinical trials nationwide, and set up a fund for new dementia drugs.

Hilary Evans-Newton, chief executive of Alzheimer’s Research UK, echoed the urgency, noting that about one in three people with dementia lack a formal diagnosis, limiting access to both current support and future therapies. Both parties stress that without swift policy changes, medical progress could outpace the health system’s ability to deliver benefits.