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Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer's
Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer's Disease Announces New Study Group
In July, the Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer's Disease announced the formation of an Alzheimer's Disease Study Group, a new panel intended to advance the cause of Alzheimer's prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Made up of health policy experts, the group will evaluate current efforts in the United States to combat the disease and recommend new strategies for addressing identified shortcomings. There are currently 5 million Americans living with Alzheimer's disease and this number is expected to increase to as many as 16 million by 2050. A report to the Congressional Alzheimer's Task Force is expected in the spring of 2008.
The Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer's Disease was created in 1999 to focus national attention on Alzheimer's disease and the health crisis it presents. The goals of the task force are to educate and focus attention on Alzheimer's disease; to encourage increased research funding for the discovery of treatments and a possible cure; and to foster open bipartisan discussion about public policy solutions to help meet the long-term care needs of people suffering from the disease. The task force currently includes 23 U.S. Senators and 171 members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Co-chairs of the task force include Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and Susan Collins (R-ME), and Representatives Ed Markey (D-MA) and Chris Smith (R-NJ).