AFA is pleased to introduce two of the experts speaking at our May 13 Concepts in Care educational conference in New York City.

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Health, Labor and Education held a hearing on the fiscal year (FY) 2017 budget for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which includes the National Institute on Aging (NIA), the leading federal funder of Alzheimer's disease research.  In opening statements, many members of the subcommittee, including subcommittee Chair Tom Cole (R-OK), called on the need for further increasing funding for Alzheimer's disease. Last year, the subcommittee approved a $300 million increase for Alzheimer's disease research for FY'16 and Congress ultimately approved a historic $350 million increase.

 

In his testimony, NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins predicted that within 10 years - because of advancement in brain science and imaging - we will be able to identify individuals at high risk for Alzheimer's disease and provide them with effective therapies to cure or slow the disease. He called for maintaining the trajectory of funding to ensure promising research pathways are explored.  With increased funds, NIH will be able to act upon the research milestones listed in the National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease as well as pursue new targets.

 

The Alzheimer's Foundation of America (AFA) has called for an additional $1 billion for Alzheimer's disease research in fiscal year 2017. The Administration's budget for FY'17, released last month, keeps research funding for Alzheimer's disease at FY 2016 levels--approximately $936 million. After expressing disappointment in the President's budget, AFA is now working with Congressional appropriators to ensure NIH has the proper resources to get us to a cure for Alzheimer's disease by the National Plan's 2025 goal.