September 15, 2015

Today's Top Alzheimer's News

USA2 SPOTLIGHT 

This Week’s Alzheimer’s Talks: The more we understand this devastating disease, the closer we get to ending it. The Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer’s Network Trials Unit (DIAN-TU) study is conducting the first clinical trials in patients with an Alzheimer’s-causing genetic mutation. This exciting trial aims to stop Alzheimer’s before it starts – and to pave the way for intervention before symptoms appear for those with late-onset Alzheimer’s as well. Dr. Randall Bateman is a Professor of Neurology at Washington University in St. Louis, Director of the DIAN-TU study and one of our nation’s most preeminent Alzheimer’s researchers. He’ll be joining us for our September Alzheimer’s Talks to discuss this promising trial and how you can get involved. Please sign up to join our Alzheimer’s Talks with Dr. Randall Bateman on September 17th from 2 to 3 p.m. Eastern. 

A September 14, 2015 11Alive.com article (NBC outlet) reported that new research initiated by WomenAgainstAlzheimer’s finds women bear six times the cost of Alzheimer's disease care, per capita, that men do. According to WomenAgainstAlzheimer’s President Jill Lesser, “This is the first study of its kind to document the disparate economic impact of Alzheimer's on Women as patients and caregivers and the concomitant burden on our public health systems. It illustrates the urgent need to reform reimbursement policies for Medicare, Medicaid and long-term care and alleviate the public and private impact of this tragic disease that burdens families for decades." 


MUST READ OPINION 

A September 14, 2015 Minnesota Public Radio blog post by Bob Collins called on politicians to make Alzheimer’s a real campaign issue. According to Collins, “This morning, I opined on Twitter that if a political candidate endorsed full research to eliminate Alzheimer’s, I’d be all in regardless of what other positions s(he) held.”

A September 14, 2015 Newsweek opinion piece by Kenneth Thorpe underscored the need to keep Medicare Part D strong. According to Thorpe, “Before Pard D was implemented in 2006, there were 18 Alzheimer’s drugs in development. Now there are 82…To ensure Medicare enjoys another successful half century, lawmakers must keep the drug benefit as strong as it is today.” Kenneth Thorpe is chairman of the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease. 


GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE 

A September 15, 2015 Business Vancouver article reported on the economic impact of Canada’s rapidly aging population in places like British Columbia. According to the article, “By 2030, according to the ministry’s report, seniors (ages 65 and over) in Canada will number more than 9.5 million and make up 23% of the country’s population. Most of them will be retired or unable to work. The report also looked at the financial toll on adults who keep elderly parents at home. A recent BC Health Coalition report outlined the growing care issues facing family members like Edwards. From 2001 to 2010, access to home support services for people 75 and over dropped 30%. In 2013-14 the number of clients receiving home support was identical to the number receiving services in 2001-02. However, over those 12 years, there was a 49% increase in clients 80 years or older.”


RESEARCH, SCIENCE, AND TECHNOLOGY 

A September 15, 2015 Baltimore Sun article reported that Johns Hopkins University and AgeneBio will launch an Alzheimer’s clinical trial with $7.5 million in support from the National Institute on Aging. 

A September 14, 2015 NPR.org article reported that new research finds “that people with low levels of vitamin D lost key thinking skills more quickly that people with enough.”