THE Scottish government and the British Heart Foundation (BHF) have thrown their weight behind a new research network dedicated to tackling Scotland’s high rates of heart disease.

BHF charity suggests that half the Scottish population are on course to develop cardiovascular disease, with over 800,000 already living with, and 50 people a day dying from the condition. 

The Cardiovascular Academic Network of Scotland (Clans), a coalition of researchers, clinicians, universities and patients, hopes to change that, with £5 million of BHF and Scottish government funding.

Its co-director, University of Glasgow’s Professor Rachel Myles, said: “We have designed Clans to have a broad impact from discovery science right through to clinical trials, across a range of cardiovascular disorders.”

Co-director, University of Edinburgh’s Professor David Newby added: “Rather than doing it for each of the individual universities — we are Team Scotland, and we are going to come together as Clans to really deliver the best research.”

Welcoming the move, Scottish government chief health scientist Professor Dame Anna Dominiczak called it a “strategic investment in Scotland’s cardiovascular research future.”