| Two
charities, RNID - the UK's largest charity for deaf and hard
of hearing people and Fight for Sight - the UK's leading charity
dedicated to eye research, have joined forces for the first
time to provide a forum to discuss the impact of sensory impairment
in an ageing population.
Academics and pharmaceutical companies will meet at the
event to address the currently unmet clinical need of sensory
impairment caused by the ageing process and discuss how
partnerships between researchers and pharmaceutical organisations
could work to lessen the problem.
Dr Mark Downs, director of Science and Enterprise for RNID,
said: "RNID is working with Fight for Sight to bring
to the fore the clinical needs of those who are sensory
impaired due to the ageing process.
"RNID believes there are major investment opportunities
for the Biotechnology Industry to develop treatments that
protect and restore hearing. There are 50 million people
with age related hearing loss in the USA and Western Europe
alone - that's a huge market to aim for."
Michele Acton, chief executive of Fight for Sight says:
"The population in the UK is ageing and sadly for many
people their quality of life is affected by sensory loss.
By working with the RNID we aim to highlight the impact
of hearing and sight loss on people, their families and
society as a whole."
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