Recently the Alzheimer's Association conducted a nationwide poll of American voters' opinions on Alzheimer's disease, the role policymakers can and should play in addressing this fatal disease and opinions on the new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved treatment to treat people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or mild dementia stage of disease*.  

 

When asked about the June decision by the FDA to grant accelerated approval to aducanumab, among those who had heard about the decision nearly 60% had a positive opinion of the decision compared to just 13% who had a negative opinion. Voters felt "hopeful" and "excited" about the availability of a treatment for some individuals.  

 

Voters from both sides of the aisle support Medicare covering the cost of aducanumab with 94% either "strongly" or "somewhat" supporting its coverage. Upon learning of the high price of the treatment, voters continued to overwhelmingly (87%) support Medicare covering the cost. This support is consistent across political ideology with 83% of Republicans, 87% of Independents and 91% of Democrats supporting coverage.  

 

Overwhelmingly, voters believe the government can and should do more to address the Alzheimer's crisis. Two-thirds of voters (66%) believe the federal government does not spend enough on Alzheimer's and dementia research compared to other health conditions including cancer (63%), heart disease (57%) and diabetes (54%).

 

Alzheimer's is an issue that has impacted a majority (67%) of American voters with nearly 50% of voters polled reporting they have a family member or loved one (or themselves) who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and an additional 18% saying they have a friend, coworker or neighbor who has been diagnosed.  

 

Read more about AIM's federal policy priorities pending before the 117th Congress here and state priorities here.

 

*patients in the Alzheimer's disease stage studied in the clinical trials of aducanumab

The Alzheimer's Association received 0.89% of its total 2020 contributed revenue from the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, diagnostics and clinical research industry, including 0.15% from Biogen and Eisai. Learn about the Alzheimer's Association's commitment to transparency at alz.org/transparency and the Alzheimer's Impact Movement's commitment to transparency here.