The Alliance’s Friends of the NIA initiative has released the following statement, which we share below: The undersigned organizations made the following joint statement in response to the House Labor, HHS Appropriations Subcommittee FY 2016 bill for the National Institutes of Health (NIH):
Our organizations unite to applaud and thank the House Appropriations Labor, HHS Subcommittee, on its FY 2016 bill for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). We thank Subcommittee Chairman Tom Cole and Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro for their leadership on the bill, which includes a $1.1 billion increase for NIH; a more than 25 percent increase for the National Institute on Aging to $1.5 billion; and a call for $300 million of that increase to be used for Alzheimer’s disease research.
Increased investment in preventing, treating or curing chronic diseases of aging is one of the most effective strategies in reducing national spending on health care. The costs of care for Alzheimer’s disease alone are enormous—in 2015 Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias will cost the nation $226 billion, with half the costs borne by Medicare.
The $300 million increase for Alzheimer’s research is a significant step closer to meeting the national goal of preventing and effectively treating Alzheimer’s disease by 2025 set out in the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease.
Our organizations have worked collaboratively to urge that Alzheimer’s and dementia research be a greater national priority. We look forward to continuing to work together, and with Congress and the Administration, to support the funding needed to make the 2025 goal a reality.
Alzheimer’s Foundation of America
Cure Alzheimer’s Fund
Friends of the National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Leaders Engaged on Alzheimer’s Disease
USAgainstAlzheimer’s
