(RxWiki News) The American government announced an increase in the available funds to fight Alzheimer’s disease. This included $50 million for research and will be followed in 2013 by an additional $80 million.
Also included is an additional $26 million for caregiver support, provider education, public awareness and improvements in data infrastructure.
Over the next two years $130 million dollars is committed to the fight. This is greater than a 25% increase over the current amount spent on Alzheimer’s disease.
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said, “Today’s announcement reflects this administration’s commitment to confronting Alzheimer’s, a disease that takes a devastating toll on millions of Americans.”
The money will go to the National Institutes of Health, an organization dedicated to protecting the health of all Americans. The funding will be used to do research in labs and also in hospitals with patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
These studies will try to discover and develop new medications and therapies for patients. Identifying patients at the highest risk of developing Alzheimer’s is also an important goal.
"Speak to your neurologist about new developments in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease"
In January 2011, President Obama signed the National Alzheimer’s Project Act. The Act created a group of Alzheimer’s experts who meet to discuss the most important projects in the fight against this debilitating disease. This group created a National Alzheimer’s Plan as a framework to guide the fight.
There are as many as 5.1 million Americans with Alzheimer’s disease, which is a progressive, irreversible brain disorder that destroys memory and thinking skills. As the population ages, the number of people with Alzheimer’s disease could more than double by 2050.
Kathy Greenlee, Assistant Secretary for Aging at the Department of Health and Human Services summed up the impact of the increased funding by saying, “These new funds will help increase our understanding about how to manage Alzheimer’s disease, especially those services that allow families to plan in the early stages and support family caregivers.”
You can find out more about Alzheimer’s and current funding on the Department of Health and Human Services Website.
