The Chief Medical Officer for England’s 2023 Annual Report on Health in an Ageing Society identified that more research needs to include older people. As a result of this, the Vivensa Foundation has joined a number of organisations to take action on this matter. We have all signed a statement of intent, which commits us to integrate older people into health and care research.
It was found that relative to the proportion of disease, older adults are disproportionally underrepresented in research. Excluding older people is not only unethical, but can result in treatments that are less effective for the people who need them most.
As part of the UK Ageing Research Funders’ Forum, we commit to actively supporting the inclusion of older adults in research. Furthermore, we will challenge any unwarranted exclusion of older adults or those with multiple long-term conditions from research. These exclusions are rarely justified and fail to align with the principles of equity and scientific excellence.
By working together to address this area of health equity, we aim to improve everyone’s ability to age well across the UK. Visit the National Institute of Health and Care Research’s website to view the statement and list of signatories.
