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For those waiting on Congress to provide additional resources for the fight against Alzheimer's disease, the wait continues. This week, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services (Labor, HHS) approved a bill to fund federal health programs. Unfortunately the bill does not provide additional resources for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the largest funder of biomedical research in the world, and also does not appear to include $100 million in additional resources for Alzheimer’s disease research, education, care and support activities. We are disappointed that the Subcommittee members did not take this opportunity to continue congressional support for the implementation of the National Alzheimer’s Plan with additional funding. Tell them you share our disappointment. It is, however, important to remember that the Appropriations process is a year-long effort – it’s not a sprint; it’s a marathon. As you may recall, last month the Senate Appropriations Committee approved their version of a bill to fund federal health programs. While the Senate's bill did not specifically include $100 million in additional resources, it did include language encouraging the Federal government to prioritize Alzheimer's research and support programs. Congress is not expected to finalize funding decisions until later in the year, likely after the November election. Through townhall events in your area, meetings in district offices or the ever-critical call to the Washington D.C. office, you will have plenty of opportunities over the next several months to advocate for $100 million in additional resources for Alzheimer’s disease research, education, care and support activities! More than 4,000 members of the Alzheimer’s research community, representing more than 60 countries, convened in Vancouver to this week for the Alzheimer's Association International Conference. There they presented findings and shared ideas that are expected to advance progress in the fight against this dreaded disease. The event provided encouraging news to those affected by Alzheimer's and dementia and was described as having "a palpable sense of energy in the air". Portions of the event have been featured prominently in major news coverage around the world. Learn more about AAIC. |
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