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New Comprehensive Legislation to Help Alzheimer’s Patients Introduced In Congress |
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| (Washington, DC) — Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), Co-Chairman of the Bipartisan Alzheimer’s Disease Congressional Task Force, today introduced multi-faceted legislation to boost the federal commitment to Alzheimer’s research and help patients and family members currently struggling with the disease. “The wide-ranging legislation I have introduced today attacks the problem of Alzheimer’s disease on every front” said Smith, who has successfully authored legislation in the past to provide better federal benefits for Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers. “It includes proposals to double our nation’s biomedical research on Alzheimer’s, improve clinical practice and training for promising gerontologists, enhance patient education, expand innovative state Alzheimer’s caregiver support programs, and increase training for law enforcement officials who interact with dementia-afflicted patients,” Smith said. Smith, who was first elected to Congress in 1980, when President Ronald Reagan was elected to his first term as President, said the legislation is named for the former President who died last year after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. “It is fitting and appropriate that this important legislation be dedicated to the most famous Alzheimer’s patient and one of our greatest Presidents,” Smith said. “Throughout his remarkable life, President Reagan endured many hardships including an assassination attempt and a bout with cancer. His terminal struggle with Alzheimer’s disease has greatly increased awareness of the disease, and the importance of developing breakthrough therapies to help patients and families affected by it” Smith said. Smith was joined in introducing the legislation today by Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA), who serves as Co-Chairman of the Alzheimer’s Disease Congressional Task Force that the two founded in June 1999. The Task Force includes approximately 190 members. Also joining the effort is physician and Congressman Mike Burgess (R-TX), Chairman of the Republican House Policy Committee’s Subcommittee of Health, and who serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee, where the legislation will be referred. In the Senate, a companion measure was introduced by Senator Bond (R-MO) and Barbara Mikulski (D-MD). The Alzheimer’s Association, which is the largest world wide research, advocacy, and research support organization devoted to helping Alzheimer’s patients, has strongly endorsed the “Ronald Reagan Alzheimer’s Breakthrough Act” and worked closely with both House and Senate sponsors when drafting it. Smith said the centerpiece of the bill seeks to double funding for ethical biomedical research on Alzheimer’s disease at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from $700 million to $1.4 billion. He said the funding is needed to meet the demand of numerous unfunded studies that could lead to a breakthrough. “Recent increases in Congressional funding for Alzheimer’s research has put us at the cusp of some amazing breakthroughs. The level of scientific interest in dementia research has grown significantly as understanding of the disease process improves. But the main NIH institute doing the research has reported that only 15 percent of scientifically merit-worthy grant applications are being funded. This means that 85 percent of qualified grant proposals – studies that could hold the key to delaying the symptoms or curing the disease – are not being systematically explored. A few years ago, we were funding 25 percent of the worthwhile grants. This is a completely unacceptable state of affairs, and our legislation seeks to remedy this problem,” Smith stated. Smith emphasized that an upfront investment in research will not only help improve the quality of life for millions of Americans, but will also help save the federal government hundreds of billions of dollars in Medicare and Medicaid spending over the next half-century. In addition in doubling our investment in Alzheimer’s research at the NIH, the Smith-Markey-Burgess legislation also supports a number of other important Alzheimer-related initiatives. These include: • Establishing an Alzheimer’s disease prevention initiative. • Expanding and improving clinical research on Alzheimer’s disease. • Systematic research on Alzheimer’s disease care • National summit on Alzheimer’s disease. • Education and assistance for caregivers and their families. • Grants to expand needed respite care programs. • A public education campaign. • Improving Project Safe Return to help locate Alzheimer’s patients who become disoriented and wander from their home. “The Ronald Reagan Alzheimer’s Breakthrough Act offers a comprehensive approach for treating current Alzheimer’s patients and researching potential cures to reduce the number of those who will struggle with this disease in the future. We will be working overtime to secure passage of this critical legislation.” | ||
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| For Immediate Release: March 10, 2005 Contact: Andy Napoli (202) 225-3765 |
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