Neighbor News
Treatments and Cures Require Research
NIH Request $354 million for Alzheimer's research in FY2021 Budget
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently requested $354 million from Congress for Alzheimer's research in the FY 2021 Budget. This funding allows them to maintain the current level of research needed to achieve an effective treatment by 2025 and ultimately a cure for Alzheimer's and related dementias.
Currently, there are 150,000 Georgians diagnosed with Alzheimer's and there are 533,000 loved ones providing unpaid care for these patients. With a new diagnosis every 65 seconds this number will continue to grow. The cost in Georgia for Medicaid Services alone was $1.18 billion in 2019 and $195 billion nationally. These costs are staggering for a disease that is the 6th leading cause of death yet has no cure or an effective treatment to slow its progression.
As a son who lost his mother to Alzheimer's and related dementias I lived the experience of this devastating disease.
Join myself and the Alzheimer's Association in urging Senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler to support and fully fund this research request.
Jim Williams
Smyrna, Georgia
Volunteer Legislative Ambassador
Alzheimer's Association of Georgia
