Three things are important when reporting on scientific breakthroughs:

Beware offering false hope.

Remember that real leaps take years, maybe decades, to filter into our everyday lives.

Even the greatest scientific advances usually end with the caveat: requires further research.

All three are true of today’s story on the new blood test for Alzheimer’s .

Nevertheless, it is a major development. The test appears to be “very accurate”, according to the UK Alzheimer’s Society. It’s already approved for use in the US, where the rules say it must only be given to people who are over 55 and experiencing cognitive decline.

In Britain, a nationwide clinical trial is under way to revolutionise how dementia is diagnosed.

This matters so much because an early diagnosis often prompts someo

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