Global disease-specific groups warn that a shortage of participants could slow dementia therapies, as numerous trials struggle to enroll.

Experts urge governments, research bodies, and industry to provide accessible, fair, and evidence-based trial information so people can make informed participation decisions.

Barriers to enrollment include misunderstandings about research, limited awareness of trial opportunities, and cultural factors that affect willingness to participate.

Sustaining active trials may require roughly 350,000 people to apply to join, underscoring the scale of recruitment challenges.

Advances like disease-modifying drugs, including lecanememab and donanemab, raise hopes of slowing disease progression beyond symptom management.

In Japan, public misunderstanding of drug development and a paternalistic medical culture contribute to low trial participation, per the Alzheimer’s Association Japan.

Today there are 158 potential dementia therapies in 192 clinical trials worldwide, illustrating a strong but enrollment-heavy pipeline.