WASHINGTON, D.C., July 14, 2021 - The House Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations subcommittee has proposed a $200 million increase in Alzheimer's and dementia research funding at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and $19.5 million to implement the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for fiscal year 2022.
"We are grateful to Subcommittee Chair Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) and Ranking Member Tom Cole (R-Okla.) for their continued leadership in the fight to end Alzheimer's and all dementia," said Robert Egge, Alzheimer's Association Chief Public Policy Officer and AIM Executive Director. "This proposed increase for research funding and investment in the Alzheimer's public health infrastructure will accelerate the pace of progress toward breakthroughs in care, treatment and prevention."
Driven by Alzheimer's Association advocacy and bipartisan Congressional champions, federal investment in Alzheimer's and dementia research funding is $3.1 billion annually. The federal commitment, combined with unprecedented philanthropic support, provides the foundation for an optimistic view of the future - which is needed, because there is much work to be done. We need to continue to diversify the pipeline to address this devastating disease through multiple pathways and in all communities, as we do other major diseases. And, eventually, we must look to combine proven treatments into powerful combination therapies. A steady investment made possible by Congressional action will make this a reality.
In December 2018, Congress overwhelmingly passed the bipartisan BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act. The law directs the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to strengthen the public health infrastructure across the country by implementing effective Alzheimer's interventions focused on public health issues such as increasing early detection and diagnosis, reducing risk, and preventing avoidable hospitalizations. It establishes Alzheimer's and Related Dementias Public Health Centers of Excellence, providing funding to state, local, and tribal public health departments, and increasing data analysis and timely reporting.
