Browse Publications
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Document, TestimonyAlliance Calls for Increased NIH Appropriations in FY 2014
On March 15, 2013, the Alliance for Aging Research submitted testimony to the House Appropriations, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee, calling for $32 billion in funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in FY 2014. To justify this increase, the Alliance highlighted important NIH-supported work administered through the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and other of the NIH's 27 Institutes and Centers. Particular attention was paid to advances in understanding the basic biology of aging and its link to chronic disease and the formation of a Geroscience Interest Group (GSIG) comprised of 20 Institutes and Centers to coordinate discussion and action across the NIH on research into the processes of aging that underpin most major age-related disease.
To read the Alliance's testimony, click here.
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Alliance in the News, Feature ArticleFollowing Katz at FDA
February 11, 2013 | Steve Usdin, Washington Editor
Related topics: Alzheimer's Disease Drug Development PolicyOn February 11, 2013, Steve Usdin, Washington Editor of BioCentury, published an article in BioCentury The Bernstein Report on Business focused on the future of the FDA’s Division of Neurology Products following the expected retirement later this year of the current Division Director, Russell Katz, M.D. Representatives from the biopharmaceutical industry and the patient advocacy community were interviewed for this article, including Daniel Perry, President & CEO of the Alliance for Aging research and Chair of the ACT-AD Coalition. Mr. Perry highlighted ACT-AD’s positive relationship with Dr. Katz and expressed hope that Dr. Katz’s successor will approach the review of therapies for Alzheimer’s disease with similar openness and flexibility.
To read the BioCentury article, click here.
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Get Mad ColumnHelping Stop a Devastating Disease: The ACT-AD Coalition Continues its Important Work in Alzheimer's
Winter 2013
Related topics: Access to Breakthroughs Alzheimer's Disease Drug Development Health PolicyAlzheimer's disease is a slow, dehumanizing, and fatal disease that strikes 1 in 8 people over the age of 65. While it's typically thought of as a disease that affects memory, it goes well beyond memory loss and eventually leads to death. -
Get Mad ColumnTaxes or Medical Research? Tensions Rise in the Battle to Reduce the Deficit
Winter 2013 | Alliance for Aging Research
Related topics: Access to Breakthroughs Aging Research Federal Funding Health PolicyThe country did not go over the "fiscal cliff" thanks to the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (ATRA), which was passed by Congress on New Year’s Day. While fears loomed that lawmakers would fail to act in time, ATRA addressed the expiration of numerous tax credits, raised some revenue, and temporarily delayed automatic spending cuts scheduled to take effect on December 31, 2012. When ATRA became law America earned a temporary reprieve from imminent economic catastrophe. However, our health and personal economic security may still suffer from the fallout resulting from actions taken by policymakers struggling to find a more permanent solution to the nation’s fiscal woes. -
Fact SheetThe Silver Book: Atrial Fibrillation
February 2013 | Alliance for Aging Research
Related topics: Aging Research Cardiovascular Disease Health Medical Innovation Policy Prevention StrokeAtrial fibrillation impacts between 2.7 and 6.1 million adults and can lead to stroke, heart failure, dementia, disability, and death. It also costs a tremendous amount of money--at least $6.65 billion each year. This latest factsheet from The Silver Book brings the leading data on the burden of the disease and the value of innovation to reduce that burden, all into one place. -
Document, Feature ArticleTranslating Innovation to Impact
December 17, 2012 | Katie Maslow, MSW, Scholar-in-Residence at the Institute of Medicine
Related topics: Aging Research Alzheimer's Disease Policy Quality of Care ResearchThis white paper presents the findings and recommendations from a review of the state of the art non-pharmacological treatments and care practices for people with Alzheimer's or other dementias and their family caregivers. It is intended to support deliberations by the Advisory Council on Alzheimer's Research, Care and Services, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) and other government and private organizations about hot to make effective non-pharmacological treatments and care practices available to people who will benefit from then. Its development resulted from a public-private partnership between AoA and the Alliance for Aging Research, with funding from the Metlife Foundation. -
Feature Article, NewslettersDo We Have to Age the Way We Age? Dan Perry Takes This Question to the TEDMED Stage
Fall 2012
Related topics: Aging Research Federal Funding Longevity Medical Innovation Policy Prevention ResearchTEDMED is most known for its annual conference--a medical spin-off from the TED conference where people come to share big ideas and foster new ones. But TEDMED is also a community of people who are all passionate about the future of health and medicine, but in amazingly different ways. -
Alliance ViewsThe Common Denominator: The Key to Extending Healthspan
Spring 2012 | Alliance for Aging Research
Related topics: Aging Research Health Medical Innovation Policy Prevention ResearchMost people know what lifespan is—the average length of life of a species, often measured within a sub-population like “Americans” or “women.” Essentially—how long we live. But few have even heard of healthspan. Dictionary.com defines it as the “period of one’s life during which one is generally healthy and free from serious disease.” Essentially—how long we live in good health. -
Get Mad ColumnAn Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure: Are We Sacrificing Health for a Balanced Budget?
Spring 2012 | Alliance for Aging Research
Related topics: Federal Funding Health Medical Innovation Policy Quality of CareLast summer, lawmakers were not just feeling the heat of the August sun in Washington when Congress passed the Budget Control Act of 2011(BCA). Under pressure to raise the country’s debt ceiling, the BCA allowed the president to do so by up to $2.8 trillion, but only by requiring the deficit to be slashed by $2.3 trillion over the next decade. Not a bad trade, right? Think again. The methods used to make these cuts could take a fat slice out of the federal budget that pays for research to prevent diseases we all fear as we grow older like cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes and heart disease. -
Alliance in the News, Alliance Views, VideoDan Perry on BioCentury This Week: Alzheimer's Research
In a March 18th interview with BioCentury This Week, Alliance for Aging Research President & CEO Daniel Perry shares his thoughts on U.S. funding of Alzheimer’s research. Perry also calls for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to adopt biomarkers and other tools to detect and treat Alzheimer's disease earlier. -
Alliance in the News, Science in the SpotlightAlzheimer’s Biomarkers are Ready for Research
March 7, 2012
Related topics: Aging Research Alzheimer's Disease Brain Health Drug Development Drug Safety Health Medical Innovation Policy ResearchIn a March 1st interview, Dr. John Morris, co-chair of the Alzheimer's Disease Biomarker Expert Working Group (convened by the Alliance for Aging Research), explains what biomarkers are and how they will help research in the field of Alzheimer's disease and related dementia.
John C. Morris is the Harvey A. and Dorismae Hacker Friedman Distinguished Professor of Neurology, Professor of Pathology and Immunology, Professor of Physical Therapy, and Professor of Occupational Therapy at Washington University. He also is the Director and Principal Investigator of the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center.
For More info on the promise of biomarkers in Alzheimer's, click here. -
Document, TestimonyAlliance President Makes Remarks at a Hearing on Prescription Drug User Fee Act Reauthorization
On October 24th, Alliance President & CEO Daniel Perry presented remarks at a public meeting on the fifth reauthorization of the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA). PDUFA IV, currently set to expire in September of 2012, authorizes the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to collect user fees from companies wishing to submit their products for agency review. The intention is that the fees would be used to provide an additional revenue stream for FDA to hire more staff, improve systems, and establish a better managed drug review process to speed up the delivery of needed therapies to the public. The PDUFA reauthorization process has historically been conducted through negotiations between the Agency and regulated industries, however the current round of negotiations allowed for patient groups to engage in monthly consultations with FDA representatives to enable all stakeholders to have an early voice in shaping the PDUFA V agreement.
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DocumentOur T.A.K.E. on Glaucoma
A Declaration from the Glaucoma Working Group to Take Action to Know your Eyes
Today, more than 40 million Americans are age 65 or older. By 2050, it is estimated that figure will rise to 88.5 million. Our nation is aging rapidly, and this demographic shift likely means longer hospital stays, more doctor visits, and greater healthcare expenditures for more and more Americans. If you're a Baby Boomer and looking ahead to your silver years, you already have plenty to think about: retirement, the economy, elderly parents, and young adult children. It's hard to find time to focus on your health--especially if you feel healthy! -
Alliance ViewsSilver Scholars: Valuing Active Aging
Summer 2011 | Alliance for Aging Research
Related topics: Aging Research Medical Innovation Policy ResearchWe make decisions using economics every day. Deciding whether or not to spend money on something we usually find ourselves weighing the benefits against the costs. Should I buy an iPhone so I can check my e-mail on the train, or get the free phone and check when I get home? Should I buy the more expensive house that’s closer to work, or the one in a more affordable neighborhood with a longer commute? Should I hire someone to paint my house, or take the time to do it myself? -
Get Mad ColumnCan We Work the Bugs Out? In Search of the Next-Generation IPAB
Summer 2011 | Alliance for Aging Research
Related topics: Federal Funding Health Policy Quality of CareAn IPAB is not the latest device created by Apple to play music or store your online files. IPAB is the Independent Payment Advisory Board and its purpose is to oversee costs in Medicare. The only similarity between IPAB and an iPAD is that both are small and complex units with tremendous power to change lives. But for those receiving their health care under the Medicare program, IPAB’s changes may not be for the better. -
ReportThe Silver Book: Chronic Disease and Medical Innovation in an Aging Nation - Thrombosis
March 2011 | Alliance for Aging Research
Related topics: Cardiovascular Disease Health Medical Innovation Policy Prevention Research StrokeThis latest volume in the important Silver Book collection focuses on atrial fibrillation, stroke, and venous thromboembolism--three of the most common causes of and results of thrombosis. The data in this volume emphasize the tremendous burden of thrombosis, especially as our population ages, as well as the potential value of innovation in reducing this burden. -
Get Mad ColumnBracing for the Silver Tsunami: Aging Research May Save Lives and Money
Investigators supported by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) are on the cusp of research breakthroughs that could enhance their abilities to predict and intervene earlier in the processes of many age-related chronic diseases. In particular, rapid progress in recent years in advancing understanding of the aging process has led to considerable knowledge of how scientists might increase human health in later life by opposing the primary risk factor for most disease of aging—aging itself. -
Feature ArticleTreatments for Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Going Head to Head
Spring 2011 | Alliance for Aging Research
Related topics: Access to Breakthroughs Drug Development Drug Safety Health Medical Innovation Policy Quality of Care Research Vision LossExciting treatments make slowing and even restoring vision loss in wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD) patients a reality. Two of the most frequently used treatments are currently in the spotlight as they go head-to-head in clinical trials comparing their effectiveness, and to some extent, exploring their costs. -
Get Mad ColumnWhat is the 510(k)? Balancing Benefits, Safety, and Patient Needs
What does a tongue depressor have in common with an artificial knee and a heart monitor? This is not trick question or an unsolvable riddle—all three are medical devices that must go through the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval. Many of us are exposed to medical devices on a regular basis but few of us give much thought to who develops these products, and even fewer take the time to consider how their benefits and safety were measured. The process by which these products are evaluated and allowed for public use is essential to the quality of life of millions of people in the U.S., however most Americans know very little about it. -
Get Mad ColumnCAN You Help Find a Cure?: Funding May Mean the Difference Between Life and Death
Spring 2010 | Alliance for Aging Research
Related topics: Access to Breakthroughs Drug Development Federal Funding Medical Innovation PolicyAfter a long fought battle over how best to structure meaningful health reform legislation, President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law in March. Many media sources are reporting on the negative financial impact some health reform provisions might have on the country, but little attention has been focused on positive aspects of the bill that could make a real difference in the lives of many people suffering from, or who will face, serious and life-threatening illnesses. -
Document, TestimonyAlliance President Makes Remarks at a Hearing on Prescription Drug User Fee Act Reauthorization
On April 12th, Alliance President & CEO Daniel Perry presented remarks at a public meeting on the reauthorization process for the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA). PDUFA IV, currently set to expire in September of 2012, authorizes the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to collect user fees from companies wishing to submit their products for agency review. The intention is that the fees would be used to provide an additional revenue stream for FDA to hire more staff, improve systems, and establish a better managed drug review process to speed up the delivery of needed therapies to the public. -
Document, ReportThe Silver Book: Chronic Disease and Medical Innovation--Diabetes
The first volume of The Silver Book was launched in 2006 and has quickly become a trusted resource for health policy practitioners. The Silver Book®: Diabetes is the latest volume in this important collection. Each section in the volume includes charts, statistics, and key findings that together paint a comprehensive picture of the burden of diabetes and the tremendous potential of innovation. Much of the data focuses on the older population. -
ReportPain Management Survey
The Alliance for Aging Research commissioned a nationwide survey of 800 U.S. adults age 65 and older to better understand their attitudes, perceptions and concerns regarding age-related pain management and changes under consideration by the FDA to over-the-counter acetaminophen products. Clarus Research Group conducted the survey on behalf of the Alliance for Aging Research between September 14 and September 18, 2009. Support for the survey was provided by McNeil Consumer Healthcare, Division of McNeil-PPC, Inc. -
Get Mad ColumnRestoring a Commitment to Medical Research
Summer 2009
Related topics: Access to Breakthroughs Aging Research Alzheimer's Disease Cardiovascular Disease Diabetes Federal Funding Policy Vision LossInvestigators supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are on the cusp of research breakthroughs that may enhance their ability to predict and intervene earlier in the processes of many age-related chronic diseases. -
ReportGray is the New Gold: State of the Science 2009
Optimism in Aging Research is the theme of this year's Gray is the New Gold report, produced by the Kronos Longevity Research Institute. The State of the Science Report was produced just after the new President took office, ushering in an era of optimism and hope within the scientific community. As you read through the report and recognize the potential of the research being conducted within the longevity field, we hope you, too, will feel the same.
Research highlighted in this report includes The Longevity Dividend, Oxidation, inflammation, and insulin resistance, Telomeres and insulin resistance, Physical fitness and exercise training, Calorie restriction, Hormones and aging, and Vitamin D.
To read the report, visit the Kronos Longevity Research Institute website. -
Report2009 Task Force on Aging Research Funding
May 2009
Related topics: Aging Research Alzheimer's Disease Arthritis Brain Health Cancer Cardiovascular Disease Caregiving Diabetes Federal Funding Geriatric Training Health Incontinence Medical Innovation Men's Health Mental Health Osteoporosis Other Diseases of Aging Parkinson's Disease Persistent Pain Policy Research Stroke Vision Loss Women's HealthThe 2009 Task Force on Aging Research Funding--more than 65 non-partisan disease groups, patient advocates, and foundations--urges Congress and the President to restore a national commitment to medical research on behalf of America's aging population. This year's report of the Task Force calls for a at least a 7% increase in funding for the National Institutes of Health in FY 2010. It also presents data on the burden of diseases and conditions that predominately affect older Americans, highlights the emerging research the NIH is doing to decrease these burdens, and serves as a resource for policymakers working to establish the funding levels necessary to advance healthy aging. -
Get Mad ColumnThe Savings and Safety of Drug Importation
The president and Congress are embarking on a fervent campaign to reform our damaged health care system. Few would disagree that there is waste in our current system, and even fewer would disagree with the fact that we need to bring healthcare to the 46 million Americans who are currently uninsured. But, many in Washington and across the country disagree on how to go about financing the massive health care overhaul that lawmakers are now proposing. -
ReportAdvancing Alzheimer's Disease Drug Review as a National Priority
The aging of the baby boom generation continues to put more Americans at increased risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD). The need for meaningful treatment options to fight the destruction caused by AD has never been greater. This article highlights the pivotal role that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will play in making the review of emerging AD therapies a national priority and ways that various stakeholders are engaging with regulators to meet the challenges posed by the growing AD epidemic.
To read more, visit: Alzheimer's & Dementia -
Get Mad ColumnEmpowering Patients with Information and Improving Care
No one can deny that our country’s health care spending is reaching an unmanageable level. In 2006 we spent over $2 trillion on health care and some experts predict that we’ll be spending twice that much by 2017. While you might assume that population growth is causing these increases—more people usually means more health care—we’re also seeing a rise in the amount of money that we spend on each person. -
Get Mad ColumnElection 2008: Candidates Paying Too Little Attention to the Approaching Silver Tsunami
The 2008 presidential election is upon us and health care reform is at the top of both candidates’ agendas. Democratic Nominee Senator Barack Obama and Republican Nominee Senator John McCain have both offered detailed plans to fix our ailing health care system. -
Feature ArticlePharmaceutical Companies Offer Free Medications to Those in Need
For the 47 million Americans without health insurance, each day is a struggle to find a way to pay for prescription drugs. Older adults, who are often prescribed several medications at a time, can find it even more difficult to pay medical bills. Despite the start of Medicare Part D in 2006, the elderly still spend thousands of dollars a year on prescription drug costs. What many people don’t know is that they may be eligible to receive their medications for free. -
Brochure, ReportThe Silver Book: Chronic Disease and Medical Innovation--Osteoporosis
The first volume of The Silver Book was launched in 2006 and has quickly become a trusted resource for health policy practitioners. The Silver Book®: Osteoporosis includes charts, statistics, and key findings that together paint a comprehensive picture of the burden of osteoporosis and the tremendous potential of innovation. Much of the data focuses on the older population—those most at risk for osteoporosis-related fractures. -
Get Mad ColumnSenior's Oral Health Care: Nothing to Smile About
Oral health is important to the overall well-being of older Americans. Preventive dental care can head off more expensive dental work and help prevent severe diseases. Unfortunately, dental costs are primarily out-of-pocket for those over 65, and when financially strapped, they may forego regular visits to the dentist. This decision to “do without” can have serious consequences, because the elderly suffer a disproportionate and debilitating amount of oral disease. The facts: -
Alliance ViewsChronic Disease: An Election Issue
With the first 2008 presidential primaries now mere weeks away, issues important to all Americans are gaining momentum in the national dialogue. As voters evaluate the candidates vying for their support, they must decide who best addresses their priorities and concerns. -
Get Mad ColumnTaking Delirium Seriously
For more than one in five patients over 65, hospital stays are complicated by frightening bouts of confusion known as delirium.
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TestimonyFiscal Year 2008 Appropriations for the National Institute on Aging:
U.S. Senate, Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies
Daniel Perry of the Alliance for Aging Research, and Carol Schutz of the Gerontological Society of America, submitted this testimony on behalf of the Friends of the National Institute on Aging. The testimony called for a 6.7% overall increase for the National Institutes of Health for FY 2008 and additional resources for NIA in order to avoid continued cuts in existing grants and to sustain training and research opportunities for new investigators. -
TestimonyFiscal Year 2007 Appropriations for the National Institute on Aging:
U.S. Senate, Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies
Daniel Perry of the Alliance for Aging Research, and Carol Schutz of the Gerontological Society of America, submitted this testimony on behalf of the Friends of the National Institute on Aging. The testimony called for a 5% overall increase for the National Institutes of Health for FY 2007 and additional resources for NIA in order to avoid an 18% cut in existing grants and to sustain training and research opportunities for new investigators. -
Alliance ViewsStem Cell Debate
President Bush will disagree, but the House of Representatives has handed him a gift for his second term: a chance to update his Administration’s stem cell policy in a way that would earn him bi-partisan praise for returning American scientists to the forefront of this fast-moving medical frontier. -
Get Mad ColumnEvery Vote Counts for Aging Issues
Americans' choice for president in 2004 will have a direct impact on the lives of seniors. -
Alliance ViewsStem Cell Update
Patient advocates for a variety of debilitating and deadly diseases are banding together to step up research into stem cell science, which may hold very real hope for treatments or cures. -
Alliance ViewsThis Election's Unhealthy Debate Over Health Care
Political consultants this year advised candidates to turn the industry that researches and develops our medicines into a political punching bag. -
Alliance ViewsGuiding Principles
To ensure that its work is consistent and productive, the Alliance has established the following set of five principles, or overarching goals, that guide all Alliance policy and advocacy initiatives: -
TestimonyAgeism in Healthcare Testimony:
Senate Special Committee on Aging
Daniel Perry, executive director of the Alliance for Aging Research, submitted testimony before the Senate Special Committee on Aging, highlighting a report How American Health Care Fails Older Americans. -
Alliance ViewsOperation NIH Funding
When you have brought the enemy to its knees, you do not turn tail and give up the fight. -
ReportRedesigning Healthcare for an Aging Nation:
A Congressional Forum Sponsored by the Alliance for Aging Research
This report, based on the transcripts of a Congressional forum on March 17, 2003, highlights the experts' opinions on how technological innovation is being used to meet the changing needs of the United States' healthcare system.
Learn more about discoveries in biomedical research and current policies and regulations that may help ensure that future public policy encourages a strong and robust medical research environment. With the impending age boom in 2010, our nation must have a healthcare system in place that is prepared for the millions of Americans who will be living with chronic diseases, and that is able to foster the development of future treatments to meet their needs. -
Get Mad ColumnGet Mad...And Vote!
Campaign commercials, local politician appearances, and issue rallies can only mean one thing…The election season is quickly approaching! -
Get Mad ColumnMedicare Gaps- What's Not Covered
Medicare, simply stated, is the government's contract that it will provide healthcare insurance coverage for older Americans. -
Alliance ViewsA 15-year Retrospective and Look Forward
Fifteen years ago, the study of human aging was largely an academic backwater: the field lacked sufficient funding, public support, and scientific prestige. -
ReportMedical Innovation & the Aging of America:
Council of State Governments Health Policy Forum
This report is based on a transcript of a Council of State Governments' Health Policy Forum that was held to analyze the impact of new medical technologies on individuals' longevity and quality of life, and to assess the short- and long-term benefits/costs of providing access to new technologies as America ages. This report was produced to expand the reach of information from the forum to hopefully add to the development of sound public policy. -
ReportOne Final Gift:
Humanizing the End of Life for Women in America
While boys outnumber girls at birth, women outnumber men by almost 4 to 1 after the age of 95. American women outlive men by an average of 6 years, making the face of aging predominately female.
One Final Gift shows that women are more likely than men to be sicker, poorer, alone, and with greater care needs at the end of their lives. This report identifies the disparities in research and public policies and raises the health, social, emotional, and spiritial concerns that confront many women as they near the end of their lives. It also outlines recommendations on how to best bridge these unacceptable gaps. -
ReportPutting Aging On Hold:
Delaying The Diseases Of Old Age
This in-depth report, presented to the White House Conference on Aging, examines current statistics on the senior population and their health care needs, along with forecasts for the impending Senior Boom.