Day 1 Session 2 | International Markets: Global Brain Health Challenges and Strategies
With mental and neurological disorders costing the global economy an estimated $3.5 trillion annually, leaders from government, academia, and industry convene to prioritize "brain capital" as a critical global health and economic imperative. The session urges the implementation of national brain health action plans, life-course interventions, harmonized regional data, and private-sector investment. It also highlights the crucial role of AI with ethical guardrails and the engagement of cultural partners in fostering cognitive resilience worldwide.
Discussants:
George Vradenburg, Chairman, Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative and UsAgainstAlzheimer’s – Moderator
Frédéric Destrebecq, Executive Director, European Brain Council
Rajinder Dhamija, MD, DNB(Neuro), FRACP, Professor of Neurology and Director, Institute of Human Behavior and Allied Sciences, New Delhi
Joseph Dieleman, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Health Metric Sciences, University of Washington
Facundo Manes, MD, PhD, Professor of Neurology, Behavioral Neurology, and Cognitive Neuroscience, Favaloro University of Buenos Aires; Principal Investigator, National Scientific and Technical Research Council; National Deputy, Argentina; President, Committee on Science, Innovation, and Technology, Argentinian Parliament
Zul Merali, PhD, Founding Director, Brain and Mind Institute, Aga Khan University
Jennie Young, PhD, Executive Director, Canadian Brain Research Strategy
Leaders from government, academia, and industry across continents convened to examine “brain capital” as both a growing economic imperative and a global health priority. George Vradenburg framed the discussion by highlighting data from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, which shows that mental and neurological disorders now cost the world roughly $3.5 trillion annually—and that figure excludes caregiving burdens—which has catalyzed unprecedented public‑private investment in brain research and innovation. Discussants underscored that rising healthcare expenditures and shrinking workforces in both the Global North and South demand life‑course strategies to bolster cognitive resilience, from early‑life risk‑factor reduction through midlife interventions to support for aging populations.
Each region is moving from narrative to action with tailored plans:
India has established a National Task Force on Brain Health, piloting government‑funded “brain health clinics” in dozens of districts to provide screening, prevention, and rehabilitative care.
Kenya’s Brain & Mind Institute is launching a five‑year, six‑initiative “Six‑by‑Five” program to harmonize data across Africa and build scalable, culturally attuned care models.
Argentina is currently discussing in its National Congress a bill for a brain health plan that integrates early detection, public education, caregiver support, and research funding within a national policy framework for brain capital.
Europe has pooled €500 million into a new Partnership for Brain Health to be started in January 2026 under Horizon Europe and is aiming to launch a Youth Mental Health Initiative as well as a European Brain Coordination Plan to streamline policy efforts continent‑wide.
Canada is finalizing a centralized roadmap with 80+ stakeholders and gearing up for a cross‑sector G7 Summit in Calgary to highlight how business, academia, and government can co‑invest in neuroscience innovation.
The session closed with a debate on AI and climate change—affirming AI’s power to accelerate diagnostics and therapeutics while warning that guardrails are critical and noting that environmental stressors like malnutrition from climate shifts pose an escalating threat to brain development in vulnerable regions.
Recommendations
Scale national brain health action plans with multi‑stakeholder governance and dedicated funding streams.
Deploy life‑course brain health clinics/navigators, ensuring interventions from prenatal care through elder support.
Harmonize regional data platforms (e.g., Africa’s “Six‑by‑Five”) to inform context‑specific policies and innovations.
Engage cultural partners—such as faith and community leaders—to co‑deliver awareness campaigns and reduce stigma.
Mobilize private‑sector investment by linking workforce productivity initiatives to brain resilience programs.
Integrate deep tech (AI, quantum) into research for a virtuous cycle of discovery and application while establishing robust ethical guardrails.
Expand focus to under‑recognized disorders (e.g., headache medicine) within broader brain health frameworks.
Next Steps
G7 Brain Health Summit (Calgary, June 2025): Finalize cross‑sector commitments and showcase best practices.
UNGA Brain Health & Research Days (Sept 2025): Co‑host a high‑level side event to secure a UN resolution on brain health, brain capital and brain economy.
India’s Pilot Roll‑out: Implement brain health clinics in 16 districts by end of 2025; evaluate outcomes for national expansion.
Africa Data Harmonization: Launch a continent‑wide platform (Abrica Brain Concertium; ABC), under the Six‑by‑Five framework to standardize research Data portals and protocols.
Argentina Legislation: We anticipate that the National Congress will approve the Alzheimer’s and Brain Health Law this year.
Europe Partnership Launch (Jan 2026): Activate the €500 million neuroscience partnership, with opportunities for additional co‑investment from industry and EIB to support innovation.
Global Brain Health Week (2027): Organize a COP‑style summit to drive investment targets, policy benchmarks, and innovation roadmaps.
