News & Analysis Global Health Nearly Half of Dementia Cases The alliance is 1 of 4 pillars in the Access Could Be Prevented or Delayed to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, which International dementia experts have ex- was launched in April by the World Health panded their list of risk factors that, if re- Organization (WHO) and other stakehold- duced or eliminated, could prevent or de- ers to expedite the pandemic’s end by lay 40% of dementia cases worldwide. developing, producing, and distributing In its 2017 report, The Lancet Commis- COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines. sion on Dementia Prevention, Interven- The ACT-Accelerator’s vaccine section, tion, and Care identified 9 preventable risk known as the COVAX Pillar, has a goal of factors for dementia: having little or no edu- delivering 2 billion doses of a safe, effective cation, hypertension, untreated hearing im- COVID-19 vaccine to countries in the alli- pairment, smoking, obesity, depression, ance by the end of 2021. physical inactivity, diabetes, and low social Currently, 75 wealthier countries that contact. Since then, the commission has would pay upfront for their own doses have reported that emerging evidence points to expressed interest in joining. Another 90 3 more preventable dementia risk factors: lower-income countries could participate International experts have identified 12 modifiable head injuries or excessive alcohol consump- through a financing mechanism estab- risk factors that could prevent or delay dementia. tion in midlife and air pollution exposure lished by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which in later life. leads the COVAX Pillar...