JPND calls for research to improve health and social care for neurodegenerative diseases

The EU Joint Programme - Neurodegenerative Disease Research (JPND) initiative launched a transnational call for health and social care research with a focus on the moderate and late stages of neurodegenerative diseases.

Neurodegenerative diseases are debilitating conditions that lead to the progressive degeneration and death of nerve cells. Their likelihood increases dramatically with age. Worldwide, it is estimated that more than 50 million people are living with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders, the most common class of neurodegenerative diseases. This figure is expected to double every 20 years as the population ages.

There is an urgent need to better understand the disease-related individual requirements and to improve the quality of life of patients with neurodegenerative diseases. Interventions, medical and social support currently available are often focusing on the early stages of the disease. However, research into health and social care as a neurodegenerative disease progresses to a more moderate, advanced and final stage, is not sufficient. A better understanding of the factors that contribute to quality of life would be important to enable healthcare systems in different countries to better meet the needs of patients and caregivers. As the availability of and access to support varies widely across Europe and beyond, evidence-based solutions may help to overcome the limitations and foster a better coordination between health and social care systems established in different countries. Identifying the problems and accessing the needs of patients, carers and relatives therefore requires an in-depth analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of existing services and the social factors that contribute to cognitive decline or stability in order to establish new concepts and ideas for improving health and social care.

JPND has therefore launched a joint transnational call and is inviting proposals for ambitious, innovative, multi-disciplinary and multi-national collaborative research projects that seek to improve the well-being of people with neurodegenerative diseases through social sciences and humanities research.

Pre-proposals must be submitted no later than 12:00h C.E.T. on March 4, 2025, via the electronic submission tool.