With Alzheimer’s and other dementias claiming more than 500,000 lives per year, the disease is one of America’s leading causes of death; If nothing is done to change the trajectory of Alzheimer’s, the number of Americans afflicted with the disease is expected to triple between 2015 and 2050

Senators reintroduce bipartisan resolution calling for a doubling of research funding by 2016, with goal of developing effective treatments by 2025

WASHINGTON, DC— Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Susan Collins (R-ME) today urged Congress to prioritize the prevention of Alzheimer’s and to develop effective treatments for the disease by 2025. With Alzheimer’s and other dementias claiming more than 500,000 lives per year, the disease is one of America’s leading causes of death. If nothing is done to change the trajectory of Alzheimer’s, the number of Americans afflicted with the disease is expected to triple between 2015 and 2050. The senators called for action today on the Senate floor as they reintroduced a resolution calling for a doubling of research funding by 2016 with the goal of developing effective treatments by 2025.

“Alzheimer’s is one of the leading causes of death in our country, taking an emotional and financial toll on patients, their families and our health care system,” said Klobuchar. “As cases of this devastating disease increase, we must do more. We must make the fight against Alzheimer’s a top priority by investing in the cutting-edge research that one day may lead to a cure.”

“Alzheimer’s is a devastating disease that takes a tremendous personal and economic toll on both the individual and family and is now the third leading cause of death in the U.S. If we are to prevent Alzheimer’s from becoming the defining disease of the next generation, it is imperative that we dramatically increase our investment in Alzheimer’s research.  Doing so will not just save lives, it will save money,” said Collins.

Senators Klobuchar and Collins have been vocal advocates in the fight against Alzheimer’s. They have continually fought for additional support for research. They sent a letter to President Obama last month calling for additional support for federal Alzheimer’s research to help find a way to prevent and effectively treat the disease by 2025.

Broadcast-quality video of Klobuchar’s remarks is available here.

 

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