We end 2015 on an encouraging note in the fight against Alzheimer's. Congress has passed a bill to fund the government for the coming year providing an historic $350 million increase for Alzheimer’s research at the National Institutes of Health. The increase means NIH will have additional money to support critical Alzheimer's-related research and, hopefully, move us closer to ending this devastating disease. (You can read UsAgainstAlzheimer's statement here.) And now Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has come out in support of $2 billion a year in Alzheimer's funding to treat, prevent or cure the disease by 2025 (our statement is below). UsAgainstAlzheimer’s has made increasing federal funding for Alzheimer’s and dementia research our top priority and worked throughout the year to help achieve this goal. Every one of you who told your Alzheimer's story, wrote and spoke out demanding that Congress take action and that presidential candidates take a stand, and cared so deeply for your families affected by this devastating disease - your voices are starting to be heard. 

Since UsAgainstAlzheimer’s was founded 5 years ago, NIH funding for Alzheimer’s disease has increased from under $450 million to what will be $936 million in the new year. It's an important achievement, and we've worked tirelessly alongside so many of you who have supported our fight. So I have to thank Congress and tell them, NICE WORK. That leaves only $1 billion, 64 million dollars until they reach the $2 billion dollar mark that scientists say they need to defeat this disease. Just sayin.' Let's take a moment to appreciate a job well done and give thanks. And then turn up the heat in 2016. - Trish 

Washington, DC – George Vradenburg, founder and chairman of UsAgainstAlzheimer’s (UsA2), released the following statement in support of Hillary Clinton’s plan to effectively treat, prevent and cure Alzheimer’s disease by 2025. 

“This has been a very important week for Alzheimer’s, beginning with the historic bipartisan Congressional increase in Alzheimer’s funding to $936 million per year signed into law by President Obama.  And, today, Hillary Clinton’s plan.

Hillary Clinton’s plan to prevent, treat, and cure Alzheimer’s is exactly what the country needs to address the enormous threat posed by this disease.  It is the most specific and aggressive plan released by any presidential candidate to date and the most in line with what experts believe is necessary to stop Alzheimer’s by 2025. 

The plan focuses on four critical elements, all top priorities for UsA2: a significant increase in federal funding for Alzheimer’s research to $2 billion a year; a commitment to finding an effective treatment by 2025; a focus on women, African Americans and Latinos who are disproportionately impacted by the disease; and essential support for caregivers who shoulder an almost impossible burden when caring for families and loved ones with the disease.

In our first meeting with then Senator Clinton in 2004, she committed to support additional efforts against Alzheimer's and as a result, became co-chair of the Senate Alzheimer's Caucus. In the years following and again when we met with her in 2015, she committed to do everything she could to stop Alzheimer's and to support families struggling with the disease.  She understands that this disease is touching so many American families every day, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.  We thank her for the consistency of her support of this cause and urge all presidential candidates to make comparable commitments.  Ending Alzheimer’s must not be political or partisan; it’s a family and community issue of enormous urgency.” 

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