WASHINGTON, D.C., December 20, 2019 - The Alzheimer's Association and Alzheimer's Impact Movement (AIM) are deeply grateful for the bipartisan support and leadership resulting in a $350 million increase for Alzheimer's and dementia research funding at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) signed into law today. Additionally the inclusion of $10 million to implement the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act (P.L. 115-406) is an important step toward acknowledging and addressing Alzheimer's as a widespread public health crisis.
Since the passage of the National Alzheimer's Project Act (NAPA) and the Alzheimer's Accountability Act - two laws championed by the Alzheimer's Association and AIM - Congressional leaders have made addressing Alzheimer's a priority. Since the passage of NAPA, Congress has expanded access to care and support services and increased Alzheimer's and dementia research funding more than six-fold.
"These funds are laying the groundwork for much-needed breakthroughs that will help all those affected by this devastating disease," said Robert Egge, Alzheimer's Association chief public policy officer and AIM executive director. "We are thankful for our dedicated advocates who have passionately driven Congress to act, and for our bipartisan Congressional champions who understand the importance of medical and NIH-driven research," continued Egge.
Longtime Congressional champions including Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) and Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) have been instrumental in securing historic increases.
The most expensive disease in the country, costing taxpayers $290 billion in 2019, more than 5 million Americans are living with the disease and an estimated 16 million more are providing unpaid care. We owe it to these individuals and the millions more who will be impacted in the coming years to leave no stone unturned so we can advance treatments and find a cure for this devastating disease.
