NEW YORK, Feb. 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Congressional leaders have agreed to a two-year budget package that calls for increasing spending at the National Institutes of  Health (NIH) by $2 billion.  This provides the additional funding necessary to increase Alzheimer’s disease research at NIH by at least $400 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2018, as approved by both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees last year.

If approved in a final spending package—overall funding for Alzheimer’s research will reach approximately $1.8 billion for FY 2018. The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) issued the following statement from Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., AFA’s president and CEO:

“AFA commends Congressional leaders for working together to rise above the challenges and for coming to this agreement which recognizes the critical role of NIH—the crown jewel of U.S. biomedical research and innovation. It enables us to continue addressing the dire need to identifying a cure for Alzheimer’s—or at least an effective treatment to slow progression of this devastating disease.”

“In order to achieve the goal of the national Alzheimer’s plan—to find a cure or meaningful treatment by 2025—we need to aggressively pursue a path toward that objective. This funding increase is a step in the right direction.  AFA will continue working with all our partners --including our Congressional champions and the White House—to ensure that finding a cure or an effective treatment for Alzheimer’s disease remains a national priority.”

AFA—whose mission is to provide optimal care and services to individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders, and their families—is calling for $2 billion a year for Alzheimer’s disease research from the federal government. This $2 billion figure is the amount that leading Alzheimer’s researchers say is necessary to make viable progress by 2025. 

Currently, Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, yet it is the only disease in the top 10 causes of death for which there is neither a cure, nor an impactful treatment.

About Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA):
The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, based in New York, is a non-profit organization that unites more than 2,500 member organizations nationwide in the goal of providing optimal care and services to individuals confronting dementia, and to their caregivers and families. Its services include a national, toll-free helpline (866-232-8484) staffed by licensed social workers, educational materials, a free quarterly magazine for caregivers and “AFA Partners in Care” dementia care training for healthcare professionals. For more information about AFA, call 866-232-8484, visit www.alzfdn.org, follow us on Twitter, or connect with us on Facebook or LinkedIn. 

CONTACT:
Sandy Silverstein
866-232-8484, ext. 104
ssilverstein@alzfdn.org