The Davos Alzheimer's Collaborative (DAC) and the Alzheimer's Disease Data Initiative (AD Data Initiative) announced yesterday a collaboration with the African Population Cohorts Consortium (APCC) to advance brain health research and innovation in Africa.
The agreement creates a practical framework for bringing together population cohorts, clinical research, and health data from several African countries.
It establishes common standards for data sharing and use, protects privacy, and ensures that African institutions maintain control over governance and decision-making.
Population and health data are quickly expanding across Africa, yet most of it is fragmented and difficult to use on a large basis. By coordinating data sharing and stewardship practices, this cooperation aims to make high-quality, locally regulated, AI-driven data available for earlier detection, prevention, and more equitable innovation in Alzheimer's disease and related illnesses.
“This agreement is about building knowledge and insight generation systems for African researchers that last,” said George Vradenburg, founding chairman of the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative. “Africa has extraordinary scientific leadership and population data. By connecting those assets and anchoring governance locally, we can accelerate brain health solutions that matter for Africa and for the world.”
Niranjan Bose, interim executive director, Alzheimer’s Disease Data Initiative, said, “Data is the foundation of modern health innovation, but only when it is trusted and inclusive. This agreement is about creating the conditions for data-driven and AI-enabled tools to improve brain health in ways that are ethical, locally led, and globally relevant.”
The agreement, according to the parties, reflects growing recognition that brain health is not only a health priority, but a driver of long-term economic resilience and human development.
The partners will share progress through future global and regional convening, reinforcing Africa’s leadership in shaping the next generation of brain health innovation, the parties said in a statement.
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