Senate proposes $400M increase for dementia research

The Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies subcommittee has proposed spending an additional $400 million on Alzheimer’s research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

“For the second year in a row the Senate has taken a critical step towards ending the Alzheimer’s epidemic,” says Harry Johns, president and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association, in a press release. “At a cost of $236 billion a year, Alzheimer’s is the most expensive disease in the U.S. But much more importantly, it is a terrible reality for millions of American families. Today’s announcement will provide important funding for research that can help bring a way to prevent, treat or cure this devastating diseas.”

Congress is on track to have more than tripled NIH funding for Alzheimer’s research over its level when Congress unanimously passed the National Alzheimer’s Project Act in December 2010.

Last year, the president approved legislation from the House of Representatives for an additional $350 million for federal Alzheimer’s disease research, the largest ever increase. Alzheimer’s and related dementias research currently receives $991 million in NIH funding.

Experts estimate research funding must be at least $2 billion a year to meet the first goal of the National Alzheimer’s Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease to prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer’s disease by 2025.

Related: Unprecedented $350 million federal funding increase for Alzheimer’s research

Nicole Stempak

Nicole was Senior Editor at I Advance Senior Care and Long Term Living Magazine 2015-2017. She has a Journalism degree from Kent State University and is finalizing a master’s degree in Information Architecture and Management. She has extensive studies in the digital user experience and in branding online media. She has worked as an editor and writer for various B2B publications, including Business Finance.