WASHINGTON, D.C., June 28, 2018 - The Senate Appropriations Committee today approved a $425 million increase for Alzheimer's and dementia research funding at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The historic funding increase is the largest single year funding increase for Alzheimer's, and if signed into law Alzheimer's and dementia research funding at the NIH would reach $2.3 billion for fiscal year 2019.
"Today's bipartisan action by the Senate Appropriations Committee to approve another historic funding increase is a monumental step in the fight against Alzheimer's," said Harry Johns, Alzheimer's Association and Alzheimer's Impact Movement (AIM) President and CEO. "This increase indicates a sustained commitment by the federal government to address the growing Alzheimer's public health crisis."
This $425 million increase is consistent with the amount Alzheimer's advocates, including 1,200 who were in Washington, D.C. last week for the Alzheimer's Association AIM Advocacy Forum, requested. The Alzheimer's Association and Alzheimer's Impact Movement (AIM) celebrate this historic funding increase and thank the Senate Appropriations Committee for their bipartisan support. Today's action was led by longtime Alzheimer's champions Senator Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.).
Today, more than 5 million people are living with the disease, and, without medical breakthroughs, by 2050 this number is projected to reach 14 million. The most expensive disease in America, Alzheimer's will cost an estimated $277 billion including $186 billion in direct costs to Medicare and Medicaid in 2018, with the total costs expected to reach more than $1 trillion annually by mid-century.
In addition to supporting today's funding increase, the Alzheimer's Association, AIM and its network of advocates continue to advance additional legislative priorities to improve the lives of all those affected by Alzheimer's including the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act (H.R. 4256/S. 2076) and the Palliative Care and Hospice Education Training Act (PCHETA) (H.R. 1676/S. 693).
Alzheimer's Association ®
The Alzheimer's Association is the 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 alz.org.
