Alzheimer Advocates to Urge Continued Alzheimer Research Funding

Become an Alzheimer Advocate today and help us contact Members of Congress when the summer recess ends with this message – do not slow the progress of Alzheimer research and our hope for a world without Alzheimer’s disease!

We need to stress that research funding is tapering off at a time when we are close to breakthroughs in understanding, treating and preventing Alzheimer’s disease.  Innovations on the horizon have the potential to save lives, reduce suffering and save millions in Medicare and Medicaid spending.

Alzheimer research funding increased by approximately 15 percent each year from 1998 – 2003, but not at those rates in the past two years.  In fact, earlier this year, the U. S. House of Representatives approved a Labor, Health & Human Services Appropriations bill (HR 3010) that funds research at the National Institutes of Health, including Alzheimer research, and that only included a 0.5 percent increase for all medical research. 

More recently, the Senate Appropriations Committee recommended a bill that provides a 3.7 percent increase for research.  When Congress convenes again this fall, the U. S. Senate will vote on whether or not to adopt the recommendations of the Appropriations Committee. 

Given tight federal spending limits, Senators need to hear from constituents that the 3.7 percent increase is essential if we hope to pursue promising breakthroughs that could prevent, treat and cure Alzheimer’s.  Click here to write your Senator today.