Brain health – a global priority

The world is increasingly relying on “brain capital”, where a premium is put on brain skills and brain healthᶦ (e.g. individual’s cognitive, emotional, and social brain resources). According to the World Health Organization (WHO), brain health focuses on areas of brain functioning such as cognitive, sensory, social-emotional, behavioral, and motor domains, and should be considered on a wide spectrum from wellbeing to disorders and disabilityᶦᶦ.  

We take a holistic approach to brain health and understand the importance of both promoting brain health and preventing brain disorders. Diagnosis of brain disorders, and access to timely and appropriate treatment are also crucial. Although we primarily focus on providing innovative solutions in the treatment and care of brain disorders, we work across this broad spectrum with our partners to advance better brain health outcomes for all. 

Neurological disorders alone are a leading cause of disability, the second-leading cause of death globallyᵛ (accounting for 9 million deaths per year) and a primary driver of healthcare costsᵛᶦ. With the world population rapidly growing older, the burden of age-related neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, will only increaseᵛᶦᶦ. 

In addition, the prevalence of mental health disorders is currently estimated at 970 million peopleᵛᶦᶦᶦ, causing 1 in 5 years lived with disability globallyᶦˣ . What’s more, around 20% (1 in 5) of the world’s children and adolescents have a mental health disorder, with suicide being the second cause of mortality among 15- to 29-year-oldsˣ.

Despite our knowledge about the brain, our strong heritage in the treatment of psychiatric and neurological disorders, and our understanding of those with lived experience, we recognize that significant challenges in brain health and neuroscience still remain.

The brain is arguably the most complex organ in the human body. However, we do not yet fully understand it, and know little about how brain disorders developˣᶦ. Neuroscience research is more costly, takes longer and fails at a higher rate than most other types of scientific researchˣᶦᶦ. But with brain disorders sharply on the increase, it is now more important than ever to continue to prioritize neuroscience. Despite significant progress, the road to uncover cures and treatments for brain disorders is still a difficult one. As such, we need to remove the barriers that are restraining neuroscience innovation and foster an environment that prioritizes research to fully unlock the complexities of the brain. 

We believe this is a joint responsibility. Commitments in and investments from both the public and private sectors can collectively foster an innovation-friendly environment in which neuroscience and brain health will thrive. 

The earlier and more we invest in brain health, including neuroscience, the better outcomes we will see. This should include basic scientific research, but also translational research where transformative discoveries can be brought closer to those who need them most. 

At Lundbeck, our research and development programs are focused solely on the brain, and we reinvest approximately 20% of our annual revenue into neuroscienceˣᶦᶦᶦ. 

As we continue to advance neuroscience and deliver transformative therapies, we recognize our innovations are meaningless if people can’t access them. Through a variety of programs and efforts, we work to reduce the burden of access and proactively engage with key decision makers to ensure value assessments are based on real-world evidence, include the voice of those with brain disorders and support innovative solutions.

Socio-economic determinants of health, such as poverty, discrimination or conflict, have a negative impact on brain healthˣᶦᵛ. Addressing inequalities on brain health will require action on many fronts and holistic interventions at societal level with collaboration across different disease areas and organizations. Focusing on better data and knowledge sharing is also important to advance brain health. 

We work with our partners across the world to make sure more financial and humanistic resources are dedicated to brain health and its associated disorders. 

Many of the currently available treatments for brain disorders are symptomatic and not curative, and date from the 1980s and 1990sˣᵛ. This offers little hope and limited outcomes for those living with a brain disorder. Innovative treatments are key in providing a better quality of life and regaining opportunities thus also benefiting society at large. We partner with advocacy organizations and medical societies to positively influence the regulatory and policy environment so that novel treatments for brain disorders can reach more people faster. 

It is of utmost importance to include people living with brain disorders, addressing the unmet needs they experience and bring these to the attention not only of researchers and scientists, but also of policy makers and funders to foster brain health. We strive to empower the voices of people living with brain disorders through our capacity building programmes, giving the community the tools and support they require to strengthen their share of voice. 

On a wider scale, we strive to operate as a sustainable business in line with the Environmental, Social and Governance goalsˣᵛᶦ and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goalsˣᵛᶦᶦ to support the reduction of socio-economic determinants of brain health. 

Stigma affects the understanding and perception of brain health and its associated disorders, which has negative consequences on access to care and treatment, and on the way brain health is prioritized. Measures seeking to reduce stigma should be a core component of broader strategies that emphasize freedom from discrimination, human rights, and social inclusionˣᵛᶦᶦᶦ. 

According to WHO, stigma on mental health disorders is a major cause of discrimination and exclusionˣᶦˣ. 

With regards to stigma within neurological disorders, a 2020 survey found that 92% of the respondents feel affected by stigma because of the disorder they live withˣˣ . Although significant progress has been made, stigma remains a big issue. 

We want to normalize discussions about brain health and its associated disorders, and bring those to policy makers, to healthcare settings, to patient communities and to the society as a whole.

To address this, we collaborate with the patient advocacy and the medical communities on a series of initiatives. These include global awareness-raising campaigns on brain health promotion and stigma reduction, and in-depth educational campaigns targeted at policy makers and healthcare professionals. We strive to do as we preach and are taking proactive steps to ensure we promote brain health in the workplace and remain an equal-opportunity and supportive employer for those with brain disorders. 

At Lundbeck, we are committed to advancing brain health and supporting people impacted by brain disorders. Our business activities, advocacy community engagement, and interactions with policymakers and non-governmental organizations are guided by clarity of purpose: we are dedicated to advancing brain health and transforming lives.