USA2 SPOTLIGHT 

An April 22, 2016 AISHealth.com article highlighted UsAgainstAlzheimer’s pipeline analysis of Alzheimer’s treatments. According to the article, “Yet the condition receives much less funding, noted David Morgan, Ph.D., CEO of the Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute and a founding member of ResearchAgainstAlzheimer’s (RA2), during an April 11 webinar sponsored by nonprofit organization UsAgainstAlzheimer’s (UsA2). RA2 is a network of more than 400 Alzheimer’s researchers established by UsA2. Morgan attributed this to a “general ageist attitude with legislators” who “think of Alzheimer’s as an old-timers’ disease,” as well as the fact that there are “no survivors of the disease who can come forward” and say they were helped by a particular treatment. According to a recent report sponsored by RA2, 17 drugs are in phase III trials. These treatments “are likely to finish testing and could be available to people with the disease in the next five years,” concludes the report, which is titled Will the Next Five Years Witness an Innovation Wave in Medicines for Alzheimer’s?”

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Must Read: A May 1, 2016 The New York Times article offered an in-depth glimpse into life with Alzheimer’s disease. According to the article, “A withered person with a scrambled mind, memories sealed away: That is the familiar face of Alzheimer’s. But there is also the waiting period, which Geri Taylor has been navigating with prudence, grace and hope.”

An April 30, 2016 The New York Times article highlighted the facts behind Alzheimer’s, including how it’s diagnosed and its causes. According to the article, “Alzheimer’s disease can seem frightening, mysterious and daunting. There are still a lot of unknowns about the disease, which afflicts more than five million Americans. Here are answers to some common questions.”

An April 29, 2016 The Hill opinion piece by Senator Patrick Toomey (R-PA) underscored the devastating impact of Alzheimer’s. According to Sen. Toomey, “We’re also seeing the consequence Alzheimer’s is having on the American workforce. The demands of caregiving often cause many to work fewer hours (27 percent) or stop working entirely (29 percent). The average lost income for Americans who reduced their employment to help care for a loved one exceeded $15,000. More than 10 percent cut back on their children’s educational expenses, indicating that the financial impact of dementia could affect families for generations to come…Alzheimer's is a tragic illness that robs its victims of one of their life's greatest possessions - their memories. Working together, I am confident we can end it.” Toomey is the junior Senator for Pennsylvania. He is the Chairman of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health Care and co-chair of the Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s. 

An April 29, 2016 The Hollywood Reporter article reported that Will Ferrell has backed out of a planned comedy that depicted Ronald Reagan's dementia.