Washington, D.C. (September 21, 2026) – UsAgainstAlzheimer’s issued the following statement from Acting Chief Operating Officer Catherine Patterson in response to reports that the White House is considering changes to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant-making process that would insert political appointees in the decision-making process over medical research funding, including being able to award or revoke grants for reasons other than scientific merit.

“Alzheimer’s does not care whether you are a Republican or a Democrat. It does not care if you live in a red state or a blue state, where you went to school, or how you vote. This devastating disease affects millions of American families, and every one of them is counting on researchers to find better treatments and, ultimately, a cure.

“Across the country, scientists are doing critical work to better understand, detect, and treat Alzheimer’s. Breakthroughs in Alzheimer’s research take years of sustained work and investment. Allowing anyone to end promising research based on political decisions will delay promising breakthroughs, disrupt ongoing patient clinical trials, and set back meaningful progress. Americans overwhelmingly support funding for medical research and slowing down the pace of research means delaying hope for patients and families who need a cure for their disease. 

“Alzheimer’s research is not a partisan issue. The families facing this disease share the same hope: that the next discovery will bring us closer to a future where Alzheimer’s can be prevented, effectively treated and cured. Protecting the integrity and continuity of medical research is essential to making that future possible.”

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About UsAgainstAlzheimer’s


UsAgainstAlzheimer’s is engaged in a relentless pursuit to end Alzheimer’s, the sixth leading killer in America. Our work centers on prevention, early detection and diagnosis, and equal access to treatments regardless of gender, race, or ethnicity. To achieve our mission, we give voice to patients and caregivers while partnering with government, scientists, the private sector, and allied organizations—the people who put the “Us” in UsAgainstAlzheimer’s.

Contact: Chantez Bailey, [email protected]