Washington, D.C. (July 6, 2020) – UsAgainstAlzheimer’s (UsA2) released the following statement from George Vradenburg, chairman and co-founder, on the $35 million increase in federal spending for Alzheimer’s disease research proposed by the House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee:

“The $2.9 billion in total Alzheimer’s research funding at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) proposed by the House appropriations subcommittee is an extremely disappointing increase of only $35 million over last year. UsA2 and others throughout the Alzheimer’s advocacy community had requested a $354 million increase, the amount requested by NIH as needed to achieve our national goal of preventing and effectively treating Alzheimer’s by 2025.

“We need Congress to act towards Alzheimer’s the way we continue to respond to COVID-19. The same urgency and commitment being marshaled against COVID-19 should be called upon in the fight against a disease too many of us know too well, and which will cause the death this year of more Americans than COVID-19.

Alzheimer’s is a chronic disease that:

• Impacts 5.8 million Americans and 16 million unpaid Alzheimer’s caregivers;
• Takes the lives of an estimated 500,000 Americans annually and will, at the current pace, lead to the deaths of more than 15 million Americans from causes related to Alzheimer’s between 2020 and 2050; and
• Will impact 14 million Americans by 2050 if nothing changes.

“Black Americans are also two to three times more likely than Whites to develop Alzheimer’s – revealing yet another area of American life where systemic racial disparities result in inequitable health outcomes at a moment when we are trying to create a more just and equal society.

“After major Alzheimer’s research appropriations increases over the past several years, including $425 million in 2019 and $350 million in 2020, our nation is seeing strong signs of progress.  We now have the first Alzheimer’s drug in 15 years expected to be filed for FDA review this year. We remain hopeful for continued advances, but acknowledge that success depends heavily on financial commitments from Congress for Alzheimer’s research.

“As the appropriations process continues, we urge Congress and the White House to support a FY 2021 increase of $354 million in appropriations for critical Alzheimer’s research.”

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About UsAgainstAlzheimer’s

UsAgainstAlzheimer’s (UsA2) is a disruptive advocacy and research-focused organization that is pushing for expanding treatments and accelerating towards a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. UsA2’s transformative programming is laser-focused on proactive brain health across the lifespan and understanding what matters most across the lived experiences of those affected by Alzheimer’s in the service of preventing, treating and curing this disease.  We are working to ensure that all communities have their voices heard and get a chance to be brain healthy from the earliest years while building resistance against possible cognitive decline