Share this pageFunding Alzheimer's Research
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- Published on Friday, 31 December 2010 22:13
- Written by Stanton O. Berg
Additional Government Funding for Alzheimer's Research is Urgently Needed.
Over one hundred years ago, (1906) Alzheimer’s, one of the world’s most terrible terminal diseases was first discovered by a German doctor of the same name. This is a disease in which the brain slowly dies and gradually shuts down the body function. By the time of death the brain of an Alzheimer's victim is only 2/3rds normal size.
Since 1906, very little has been done by way of a cure. It has been said that 90% of all we know about Alzheimer’s was learned in n the last 10 years. (2007)
By contrast it was only about 30 years ago that AIDS/HIV became known to the world. Huge efforts have been directed at finding a cure for this disease. Only the feeblest efforts are directed at Alzheimer’s. The progress made in AIDS/HIV research, demonstrates clearly that adequate funding makes a difference!
Currently over 1400 people die (2016) every day in the U.S. from Alzheimer’s and the rate continues to climb. It is the 5th leading cause of disease death.
It is estimated that 50-60% of all residents of nursing homes today have Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia.
Over ten (10) times more people die every year from Alzheimer's then die from the so called AIDS epidemic in the U.S. The AIDS death rate continues to decline. AIDS is not one of the 15 leading causes of death in the U.S. nor has it been for the past several years!
For every death due to AIDS/HIV, the NIH (National Institute of Health) has a huge budget for research. Based on the number of deaths, AIDS gets far more funding than any of the top 15 causes of death in the United States. Currently AIDS/HIV receives approximately 6 times more funding than does Alzheimer's. This ridiculous situation exists in spite of the fact that Alzheimer's is now the 3rd leading cause of death while AIDS is not even one of the 15 leading causes of death. I am not suggesting that we take away the AIDS/HIV funding, but rather that we increase the Alzheimer's research funding by several multiple times to better reflect the seriousness of the Alzheimer's problem.
Obviously we have a government and the NIH that is more interested in proving how “politically correct” they are then they are in meeting the medical correctness and medical needs of the U.S. citizens.
Especially hard hit are the U.S. Veterans and in particular, the WWII veterans who are close to 50% victims of Alzheimer's. As far as Alzheimer's research and funding is concerned, our government, including both political parties and the NIH, has for many years turned their backs on the “Greatest Generation.”
Political Correctness is “Job One” for the U.S. Government and this position on funding has killed my wife June, my mother Ellen, many of the veterans of WWII, and the U.S. Citizens by the thousands (83,308) every year.
There are currently 450,000 new cases of Alzheimer's every year. By the year 2050 that number will increase to 1,000,000 new cases every year.
It has been projected that economically in the future, the Alzheimer's disease will bankrupt the Medicare/Medicaid systems unless our government stops “fiddling as Rome burns.” How much longer must we tolerate such outrageous conduct by our government? This is not a parfty lines problem!
Stan Berg (May 2016)
Contact your congressman: U.S. Congress Website
Contact the President: U.S. President
Find out more about Alzheimer's Research Funding: Alzheimer's Association
Make a personal donation to: "Mayo Clinic Alzheimer's Research Center"
See this dramatic chart on Funding: AARP Chart on Alzhemier's funding disparity.
Editorial Note: Government statistics on death rates always run 3-4 years behind the most current year. The government CDC currently only has the preliminary estimates for the year 2010. As of this date (May 15th, 2012) only the year 2009 and earlier have the final government statistics on US disease death rates.