Alzheimer's Association Applauds White House Brain Mapping Initiative

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Apr 02, 2013, 10:54 ET

– Alzheimer's Association Statement –

WASHINGTON, April 2, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, Harry Johns, president and CEO of the Alzheimer's Association, participated in an event at the White House on the Obama Administration's BRAIN (Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies) Initiative referenced during the State of the Union.

A large-scale effort to map brain activity is important in advancing the understanding of complex diseases like Alzheimer's disease. The Alzheimer's Association is the world's leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer's care, support and research and looks forward to working with the Administration on this ambitious new project and continuing to work with the Administration to implement the first ever National Alzheimer's Plan.

"The Alzheimer's Association applauds the President for underscoring the critical need for research to better understand the mysteries of the brain," said Johns, a member of the National Alzheimer's Plan Advisory Committee.

The Alzheimer's Association anticipates fundamental insights from the brain mapping initiative and continues to pursue full implementation of the National Alzheimer's Plan and the aggressive timeline set by Health and Human Services Secretary Sebelius to prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer's disease by 2025.

According to Alzheimer's Association 2013 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures, the total payments for health and long-term care services for people with Alzheimer's and other dementias will total $203 billion in 2013, the lion's share of which will be borne by Medicare and Medicaid with combined costs of $142 billion. Despite these staggering figures today, by 2050 total costs will increase 500 % to $1.2 trillion (in today's dollars).

The Association is committed to accelerating progress of new treatments, preventions and, ultimately, a cure. As the largest non-profit funder, the Alzheimer's Association funds projects like the worldwide Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), a public-private research project led by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and funded with private sector support.

"The federal government has realized incredible success when it invests in tackling challenges of this magnitude, and Alzheimer's will be no different. We are on the doorstep to changing the trajectory of this disease and must pursue every avenue while fully funding the implementation of the National Alzheimer's Plan," said Johns.

Alzheimer's Association
The Alzheimer's Association is the world's leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer's care, support and research. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer's. For more information, visit www.alz.org.

SOURCE Alzheimer's Association