Topics on which research is still
needed
62. Given the OST's failure properly to evaluate
EQUAL, it remains difficult to establish with confidence those
areas for ageing-related research which most urgently require
further investment or which offer the best prospects of improving
the quality of life for those in later years. Such a task should
be properly carried out by an EQUAL co-ordinating committee or
group.
63. One of the issues which we are particularly concerned
about is whether chronic disabling conditions (often the less
popular topics for research) are receiving enough attention compared
with the major causes of mortality or serious disability. Lord
Sainsbury asserted that there was no evidence that the funded
projects are ignoring the less popular topics.[107]
Dr Taylor agreed, stating that the MRC is very good at stimulating
the scientific community. It is suggested that the more chronic
diseases of later life are still under-researched compared with
the major killers like cancer (though Professor Radda of MRC says
that they do fund unfashionable areas like incontinence).[108]
AgeNet told us that less attention is given to subjects such as
osteoarthritis and macular degeneration than to Alzheimer's; and
that "there seems to have been no attempt systematically
to consider the balance of effort".[109]
Without a systematic evaluation, where evidence can be set against
some agreed criteria, the kind of confusion evident in the above
comments will remain.
64. Future developments of EQUAL could usefully be
informed by the opinions of researchers, users, policy makers,
etc. about the continuing gaps in research in the area. For example,
the following points were mentioned by those giving evidence:
(a) that there is
insufficient emphasis on research on health promotion;[110]
(b) that normal ageing
processes—why and how body cells and systems function less
well and deteriorate with age—are relatively poorly understood;[111]
(c) that UK research
on the biology of ageing is lagging behind that of the USA;[112]
(d) that the ESRC Growing
Older programme cannot address all the questions posed by EQUAL,
for example, the relationship between age and employment, inter-generational
solidarity, paying for long-term care;[113]
(e) that medical advances
may bring the possibility of extending life very considerably—and
that there is a need to encourage research on long-term (especially
ethical) issues;
(f) that there is a need
to widen the scope of research in the area of communication and
information technology;[114]
and
(g) that more research
is needed on the impact of new media on attitudes, on the impact
of the internet on older people's lives, and on how smart products
could help older people.
Types of research project still
needed
65. Although it is clear that EQUAL has encouraged
some innovative types of approach, such as multi-disciplinary
research, the scale of funding is such that most of its projects
have been relatively modest in scope and there is still a need
for more effort in areas such as:
(a) large-scale,
long-term and longitudinal research, where the USA, for example,
is far ahead of the United Kingdom;[115]
(b) multi-disciplinary
research;
(c) clinical research
which includes older people, for example clinical trials still
often have a cut-off age of 60 or 65; and[116]
(d) 'blue-sky' research.[117]
103 Evidence, p 69, paragraph 20. Back
104
Qq 117 and 137. Back
105
Evidence, p 50, paragraph 9. Back
106
Evidence, p 50, paragraph 18. Back
107
Q 125. Back
108
Q 48. Back
109
Q 3. Back
110
Evidence, p 2, paragraph 11. Back
111
Evidence, p 12, paragraph ; p 17, paragraph 5. Back
112
Evidence, p 18, paragraph 12. Back
113
Evidence, p 81, paragraph 8. Back
114
Evidence, p 66, paragraph 3. Back
115
Q 183; Evidence, p 3, paragraphs 17-19. Back
116
Q 174. Back
117
Evidence, p 66, paragraph 5. Back
