Ronald Reagan's daughter Maureen Reagan
told a Senate subcommittee Tuesday that an extra $100 million in research
funding is urgently required if the country hopes to prevent a looming
'epidemic' of Alzheimer's disease.
"For my father and Nancy and all the individuals and caregivers across
America who are praying for help, I plead with you to re-double your efforts
this year," Reagan told a Labor, Education and Health and Human Services
subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee on Capitol Hill. Former
President Ronald Reagan was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 1994.
His daughter's testimony coincided with the release Tuesday of an
Alzheimer's Association report on the projected incidence of the disease among
the nation's aging baby boomers. According to their analysis of national census
data, Alzheimer's incidence in the US will increase by 350% by mid-century,
clustering in those states with the highest numbers of retired boomers. By 2025,
experts predict that 820,000 elderly Californians, and 712,000 Florida residents
will be stricken with Alzheimer's disease, according to the study. Other states
with high projected numbers of Alzheimer's patients include Texas (552,000), New
York (431,000), Pennsylvania (349,000), and Ohio (308,000).
The high cost of caring for these millions of patients could wreak havoc on
the healthcare system. "Without a research breakthrough, the Alzheimer's
epidemic alone will cost enough to bankrupt Medicare," according to an
Alzheimer's Association statement. They point out that "at present, annual per
capita expenditures for Medicare beneficiaries with Alzheimer's disease are
$7,682, almost 70% more than the average of $4,524 for other beneficiaries."
Research breakthroughs may be the only way to defuse this looming crisis.
Reagan told subcommittee chairman Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA), and ranking member
Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) that the federal government needs to boost research
funding by at least $100 million. "I know that my father would want to commend
the Congress for going beyond talk and increasing substantially the investment
in research," she said.
Dr. Stephen DeKosky, chairman of the Alzheimer Association's Medical and
Scientific Advisory Council, agrees, noting that the trials needed for proper
research will take large investments in both money and time. "Large scale trials
are expensive -- $15 million to $20 million each," he explained, "and they take
at least 5 years to get results." However, with the potential for a huge number
of patients in coming decades, "we do not have enough time left to do these
5-year trials one at a time. Scientists have many more good ideas for effective
treatments than they can test with current funding."
Reagan stressed that more funding is also needed to help those coping with
Alzheimer's today. "I encourage you to continue that support for research and to
add to it support for caregivers," she told the subcommittee. "Because even if
we were to come up with a way to prevent this disease tomorrow, more than 4
million Americans like my dad will still be in need of care."
