MINISTERS will pump an extra £2million into the race to develop game-changing dementia blood tests by 2030.
Funds will be used from the Dementia Goals programme set up in 2022 in honour of late actress Dame Barbara Windsor .
Babs, best known for EastEnders and for her Carry On film roles, died of the condition in 2020.
Experts from top universities in Oxford , Cambridge and London think they can spot it from signals in blood, along with mental testing of patients.
More than 3,000 volunteers, dubbed Babs’ Army , will be enrolled in a trial boosted by the cash.
Science minister Lord Patrick Vallance said: “New ways of testing for dementia earlier could help patients get the right treatment, sooner - ultimately meaning more quality time with their loved ones.”;
The READ-OUT trial is investigating which signs in the blood most accurately predict dementia.
It also received cash from the £5million Blood Biomarkers challenge led by Alzheimer’s charities.
Dr Richard Oakley, of the Alzheimer’s Society, said: “Early diagnosis is crucial to help people manage symptoms and avoid ending up in crisis.
“We have been calling for dementia to be made a priority for years and while there is a lot more to do, these are important steps.
“By working together we will progress further faster.”;
