ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION APPLAUDS INCLUSION OF $104 MILLION FOR ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE IN SENATE FUNDING BILL

ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION APPLAUDS INCLUSION OF $104 MILLION FOR ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE IN SENATE FUNDING BILL

- Alzheimer’s Association Statement -

Washington, D.C., July 9, 2013 – Today, the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies allocated an additional $104 million in its fiscal year 2014 funding bill for Alzheimer’s research, education, outreach and caregiver support. By providing additional funding to the National Institute on Aging (NIA) the Subcommittee is acknowledging that more resources must be available to pursue research on Alzheimer’s disease – the only cause of death among the top ten in the U.S. without a way to prevent, stop or even slow its progression – and support the millions of families currently impacted.

“The Alzheimer’s Association applauds the Subcommittee, Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Ranking Member Jerry Moran (R-KS) for recognizing the magnitude of the Alzheimer’s epidemic and the value in investing now to curb even greater personal and financial costs in the future,” said Harry Johns, President and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association. “It is only through significant investments comparable to those that have aided progress made against other leading causes of death that we can hope to realize the National Alzheimer’s Plan’s goal of preventing and effectively treating Alzheimer’s disease by 2025.”

There are currently more than 5 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease and that number is poised to grow to as many as 16 million by 2050, according the Alzheimer’s Association 2013 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts & Figures report. In addition to the human toll of the disease, care for Alzheimer’s, the country’s most expensive condition, costs the nation $203 billion annually with projections to reach $1.2 trillion by 2050. Yet for every $27,000 Medicare and Medicaid spend on caring for individuals with Alzheimer’s, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) spends only $100 on Alzheimer’s research.

The Alzheimer's Association encourages all parties – Senate, House of Representatives and Obama Administration – to do everything possible to ensure that a final funding bill for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies reflects today's efforts to make Alzheimer’s a national priority. For more information on Alzheimer’s disease and available resources, visit the Alzheimer’s Association at alz.org.

Alzheimer’s Association

The Alzheimer's Association is the world’s leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer’s. For more information, visit www.alz.org.