Question: Why do some people focus on drugs for the older people when the younger people are who make up this generation?

Fiona Scott answered on 9 Mar 2019:

Great question K. Different researchers focus on different diseases for different reasons, often based on an unmet need. The world’s population is living longer so it is reasonable for researchers to focus on diseases that affect them so that they have medication they can take at home, rather than take up a bed in a hospital that could be otherwise used for someone else.

The group I work in are working on cancer, which affects people of all ages; respiratory diseases like cystic fibrosis; but also a lot of neurological disorders like anxiety, depression, and Alzheimer’s disease, the last of which affects older people generally but mental health conditions affect a significant number of young people.

Treating diseases affecting the brain is very difficult which is why it might seem there aren’t people working on it but believe me, people are! It’s just particularly difficult because processes in the brain are very complex and even getting drugs into the brain safely is more difficult than the rest of the body.

I also think it’s important to value all members of society, whatever age they’re at so I don’t think its necessarily fair to ignore one particular generation. Everyone benefits from a healthy society.