The Aberdeen company developing a potential disease-modifying oral treatment for Alzheimer's disease has launched a series of videos aiming to help members of the public learn more about the condition.
TauRx Therapeutics Management Ltd launched the series – Understanding Alzheimer’s Disease – in a bid to help address uncertainties around the illness, which is the most common form of dementia.
Responsible for 1 in 10 deaths in Scotland in 2024, it is estimated 982,000 people across the UK currently live with dementia, with a third of unpaid carers spending more than 100 hours per week caring for someone living with the condition.
The short videos see TauRx Medical Director Dr Sonya Miller answer questions from the public in a relaxed, informative way, and crucially in language that is easy to understand.
TauRx Head of Communications Andy Groundwater said: “Receiving a diagnosis of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease is devastating, and many people don’t know where to turn. We have heard numerous stories of patients and their families being told that all they can do is get their affairs in order, which only adds to the stress and fear at what is already a difficult time.
TauRx Head of Communications Andy Groundwater
“We hope that by having Dr Miller answer some of the most common queries, we will be able to help people navigate a diagnosis and help them understand what happens to the brain.
“A variety of topics are covered in the series, including providing guidance on how to interact with someone who has received a diagnosis, something that is crucial in ensuring they maintain their sense of worth through what is a worrying time.”
The videos are posted across TauRx’s social accounts on LinkedIn, Blue Sky and YouTube every Wednesday, with the public encouraged to ask questions of their own.
TauRx Medical Director Dr Sonya Miller
Andy added: “We have experienced great engagement across social media and would encourage people to get in touch with us if they have questions. The old adage of there being no such thing as a stupid question most definitely applies here – the important thing is that those living with Alzheimer’s get the support they need.
“While we would be delighted to help answer any questions people may have around the condition, it should be borne in mind that the best place for individual medical advice remains a doctor’s surgery.”
TauRx, which is based within the First Aberdeen headquarters on the city’s King Street, has submitted a Marketing Authorisation Application for its drug to the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). If granted approval, the drug could be the first oral treatment for Alzheimer’s disease that targets the tau protein pathology.