Secretary Sebelius Outlines Research Funding, Tools for Health Care Providers, Awareness Campaign and New Website
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today released an ambitious national plan to fight Alzheimer’s disease.
The plan was called for in the National
Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA), which President Obama signed into law in
January 2011. The National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease sets forth five
goals, including the development of effective prevention and treatment
approaches for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias by 2025.
In February 2012, the administration announced
that it would take immediate action to implement parts of the plan, including
making additional funding available in fiscal year 2012 to support research,
provider education and public awareness.
Today, the Secretary announced additional
specific actions, including the funding of two major clinical trials,
jumpstarted by the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) infusion of additional
FY 2012 funds directed at Alzheimer’s disease; the development of new
high-quality, up-to-date training and information for our nation’s clinicians;
and a new public education campaign and website to help families and caregivers
find the services and support they need.
To help accelerate this urgent work, the
President’s proposed FY 2013 budget provides a $100 million increase for efforts
to combat Alzheimer’s disease. These funds will support additional research
($80 million), improve public awareness of the disease ($4.2 million), support
provider education programs ($4.0 million), invest in caregiver support ($10.5
million), and improve data collection ($1.3 million).
“These actions are the cornerstones of an
historic effort to fight Alzheimer’s disease,” Secretary Sebelius said.
“This is a national plan—not a federal one,
because reducing the burden of Alzheimer’s will require the active engagement
of both the public and private sectors.”
The plan, presented today at the Alzheimer’s
Research Summit 2012: Path to Treatment and Prevention, was developed with
input from experts in aging and Alzheimer’s disease issues and calls for a
comprehensive, collaborative approach across federal, state, private and
non-profit organizations.
More than 3,600 people or organizations
submitted comments on the draft plan.
As many as 5.1 million Americans have
Alzheimer’s disease and that number is likely to double in the coming years. At
the same time, millions of American families struggle with the physical,
emotional and financial costs of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s
disease.
The initiatives announced today include:
Research – The funding of new
research projects by the NIH will focus on key areas in which emerging
technologies and new approaches in clinical testing now allow for a more
comprehensive assessment of the disease. This research holds considerable
promise for developing new and targeted approaches to prevention and
treatment. Specifically, two major clinical trials are being funded.
One is a $7.9 million effort to test an insulin
nasal spray for treating Alzheimer’s disease. A second study, toward which NIH
is contributing $16 million, is the first prevention trial in people at the
highest risk for the disease.
Tools for
Clinicians
– The Health Resources and Services Administration has awarded $2 million in
funding through its geriatric education centers to provide high-quality
training for doctors, nurses, and other health care providers on recognizing
the signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and how to manage the disease.
Easier
access to information to support caregivers - HHS’ new website, www.alzheimers.gov, offers
resources and support to those facing Alzheimer’s disease and their friends and
family.
The site is a gateway to reliable, comprehensive
information from federal, state, and private organizations on a range of
topics. Visitors to the site will find plain language information and tools to
identify local resources that can help with the challenges of daily living,
emotional needs, and financial issues related to dementia.
Video interviews with real family caregivers
explain why information is key to successful caregiving, in their own words.
Awareness
campaign
– The first new television advertisement encouraging caregivers to seek
information at the new website was debuted. This media campaign will be
launched this summer, reaching family members and patients in need of
information on Alzheimer’s disease.
In 2013, the National Family Caregiver Support
Program will continue to provide essential services to family caregivers,
including those helping loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease. This program
will enable family caregivers to receive essential respite services, providing
them a short break from caregiving duties, along with other essential services,
such as counseling, education and support groups.
For more information on the national plan to address Alzheimer’s disease, visit www.alzheimers.gov.
Photo source: Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Author: HHS
Permission: Public Domain
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