USAGAINSTALZHEIMER'S APPLAUDS BI-PARTISAN CONGRESSIONAL ACTION TO INCREASE FUNDING FOR ALZHEIMER'S RESEARCH

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USAgainstAlzheimer’s Applauds Bi-Partisan Congressional Action to Increase Funding for Alzheimer’s Research and Other Initiatives

WASHINGTON, DC – USAgainstAlzheimer’s applauded leaders of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees for including a sizeable increase for key Alzheimer’s disease research, public health, and provider and public education initiatives within the FY 2014 omnibus appropriations package released last evening.

USAgainstAlzheimer’s has been a leading voice calling for the funding levels necessary to achieve the national goal of preventing and treating Alzheimer’s by 2025. Specifically, USAgainstAlzheimer’s has championed the call to double the current National Institutes of Health (NIH) commitment to Alzheimer’s research as part of a strategy of achieving $2 billion in annual research funding within 5 years. The package released today helps move us toward this goal. Specifically, it includes:

  • An increase of $80 million for the National Institute on Aging;
  • $12 million to support Alzheimer’s related research at the Department of Defense;
  • $3.3 million for the Centers for Disease Control programs focused on aging more broadly;
  • $14.7 million for the Administration for Children and Families;
  • $4 million for workforce training; and
  • $750,000 for programs focused on the safe return of missing persons

“Today’s proposed increase for Alzheimer’s research and care programs signals a strong bipartisan recognition of the unprecedented global health crisis unfolding before our eyes. It is critical that lawmakers from both sides of the aisle see this funding through without delay.

“Every four seconds, someone somewhere in the world is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or Dementia. We are paying dearly for Alzheimer’s already today, an estimated $200 billion in the U.S. alone, $140 million of which is shouldered by Medicare and Medicaid.

“I urge Congress to promptly complete its work on this package and look to double existing funding levels in FY 2015 to maximize our chances of achieving the national goal of preventing and treating this disease by 2025.

“Alzheimer’s is the challenge of our lifetime and to fail to act boldly and decisively would not only bring about a financial calamity, but worse, rob us of those who we cherish most. Now is the time for our leaders to commit to a level of investment in research for Alzheimer’s at a scale commensurate to the Alzheimer’s threat.”

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USAgainstAlzheimer's

USAgainstAlzheimer's is an independent, non-profit organization and advocacy campaign committed to stopping Alzheimer's by 2020. USAgainstAlzheimer's works to speed the discovery of a treatment or cure for Alzheimer's by advancing policy and resources that support innovative Alzheimer's research. For more information, visit www.usagainstalzheimers.org.