Alzheimer’s is the only leading cause of death in the U.S. that cannot be prevented, cured or even slowed. The only way to change this is through research.
That is why the Alzheimer’s Association, working with and through the Alzheimer’s Impact Movement (AIM), is leading the way to increase research funding at the federal and state level.
We have propelled the federal government to rise to this challenge, resulting in more than quadrupling Alzheimer’s research funding since 2011 — including a historic $425 million increase for Alzheimer’s research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for fiscal year 2019.
Despite this progress, funding still falls short of the need.
With this increase, along with previous research investments, the NIH is expected to spend $2.3 billion on Alzheimer’s research in 2019. However, this still means that for every $100 the NIH spends on Alzheimer’s and dementia research, Medicare and Medicaid spend $9,700 caring for people with Alzheimer’s.
State and local funding
The Association and AIM are also working across the 50 states and the District of Columbia to encourage investment by state and local governments. Through the development and implementation of state Alzheimer’s plans, additional resources are being invested through state grants and appropriations to advance the field and better serve those with the disease in their state.