Must reads

• A November 25, 2013 CBN News article highlighted the devastating impact of Alzheimer's on individuals, families, and the economy. According to Dr. Dave Morgan, of the USF Health Byrd Alzheimer Institute, "We need to spend more money at the federal and the state level on Alzheimer's research...That's the only way we're ever going to avoid having this disease completely decimate Medicare. I mean it won't even survive until 2030."
• A November 24, 2013 National Journal article reported on Newt Gingrich's approach to healthcare reform. According to the article, "Gingrich's new book, Breakout, explains the need to focus on innovative scientific research and cures. He sets up a duality between what he calls the "pioneers of the future" and "prison guards of the past." The pioneers he defines as scientists across the country that are developing innovative treatments; the prison guards are lobbyists, bureaucrats, and government officials, which he says inhibit these breakthroughs." Gingrich stated, "The potential is so enormous because the cost is so great. If you want to talk about entitlement reform, a breakthrough in Alzheimer's saves more money in 30 or 35 years than any conceivable reform that the Congress is going to adopt."
• A November 22, 2013 NBC News article reported on a growing global movement spurred by President Obama's BRAIN Initiative. According to the article, "After Obama announced the initiative in April, the NIH put together a working group to discuss timetables, milestones and costs of the research. The group released an interim report Sept. 16, and plans to release a final report in June 2014.Europe has embarked on its own brain initiative, a $1.3 billion (1 billion euros) project known as the Human Brain Project. Directed by the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland, with funding from the European Union, the 10-year project aims to build a computer model of the human brain. Insel expressed optimism for the future of concerted efforts to understand the brain. "It's beginning to feel like a global movement," he said."