III 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 49 

Declaring that achieving the primary goal of the National Plan to Address 

Alzheimer’s Disease of the Department of Health and Human Services 

to prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer’s disease by 2025 is an urgent 

national priority. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 6, 2017 

Ms. COLLINS (for herself and Ms. KLOBUCHAR) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, 

Labor, and Pensions 

RESOLUTION 

Declaring that achieving the primary goal of the National 

Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease of the Department 

of Health and Human Services to prevent and effectively 

treat Alzheimer’s disease by 2025 is an urgent national 

priority. 

Whereas the number of individuals in the United States with 

Alzheimer’s and related dementias (referred to in this 

preamble as ‘‘Alzheimer’s’’) is as high as 5,400,000, 

which is more than double the number in 1980; 

Whereas based on the trajectory of Alzheimer’s, as many as 

16,000,000 individuals in the United States may have 

Alzheimer’s by 2050; 


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•SRES 49 IS 

Whereas the increasing prevalence of Alzheimer’s and other 

dementias is a global health crisis that afflicts an estimated 46,780,000 individuals worldwide as of August, 

2015 and may afflict more than 131,000,000 individuals 

by 2050; 

Whereas Alzheimer’s is a leading cause of death in the 

United States with data indicating that more than 

500,000 deaths each year are attributable to the disease; 

Whereas Alzheimer’s is the only disease among the top 10 

causes of death in the United States without an effective 

means to prevent, slow, or stop; 

Whereas Alzheimer’s places an enormous financial strain on 

families, the health care system, and State and Federal 

budgets; 

Whereas the Medicare program under title XVIII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.) and the Medicaid program under title XIX of the Social Security Act 

(42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.) are estimated to bear more than 

two-thirds of the total costs of this care in 2016; 

Whereas a RAND Corporation study published in 2013 and 

commissioned by the National Institute on Aging found 

that Alzheimer’s is the costliest disease in the United 

States, costing more than cancer and heart disease; 

Whereas in 2015, an estimated 15,800,000 family members 

and friends of individuals with Alzheimer’s provided those 

individuals with 18,100,000,000 hours of unpaid care, an 

amount valued at more than $221,300,000; 

Whereas Alzheimer’s disease has a disproportionate impact 

on many populations including women, African-Americans, and Latinos; 


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•SRES 49 IS 

Whereas the global cost of Alzheimer’s exceeds 

$818,000,000,000 each year, an amount equal to approximately 1 percent of the world’s gross domestic product; 

Whereas in December 2013, the G–8 nations met and adopted a political declaration supporting the goal of a cure or 

disease-modifying therapy for dementia by 2025 as well 

as collectively and significantly increasing resources committed to dementia research; 

Whereas Alzheimer’s takes an emotional and physical toll on 

caregivers that results in a higher incidence of chronic 

conditions, such as heart disease, cancer, and depression 

among caregivers; 

Whereas the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease of 

the Department of Health and Human Services makes 

recommendations relating to family caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer’s to provide care while maintaining 

personal health and well-being; 

Whereas the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease 

supports informal caregivers by— 

(1) identifying the support needs of caregivers; 

(2) developing and disseminating modes for intervention; 

(3) providing information that caregivers need, particularly in crisis situations; and 

(4) assisting caregivers in maintaining personal 

health and well-being; 

Whereas a strong and sustained research effort is the best 

tool to slow the progression and ultimately prevent the 

onset of Alzheimer’s; 


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•SRES 49 IS 

Whereas while the cost to the Medicare and Medicaid programs of caring for individuals with Alzheimer’s is estimated to be $160,000,000,000 in 2016, the United 

States, through the National Institutes of Health, will 

spend about $991,000,000 on Alzheimer’s research in 

2016; 

Whereas the Chairman of the Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Research, Care, and Services created by the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (42 U.S.C. 11225) has 

testified before Congress that the United States must devote at least $2,000,000,000 each year to Alzheimer’s research to reach the goal of preventing and effectively 

treating Alzheimer’s by 2025; and 

Whereas the public members of the Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Research, Care, and Services unanimously agree 

with the testimony of the Chairman regarding the 

amount of money required to reach the goal for 2025: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) is committed to strengthening the quality of 

3 care and expanding support for individuals with Alz4 heimer’s disease and related dementias (referred to 

5 in this resolution as ‘‘Alzheimer’s’’) and family care6 givers of individuals with Alzheimer’s; 

7 (2) declares that achieving the primary goal of 

8 the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease to 

9 prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer’s by 2025 is 

10 an urgent national priority; 


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•SRES 49 IS 

1 (3) recognizes that bold action and considerable 

2 increases in funding are necessary to meet that goal; 

3 (4) encourages greater collaboration between 

4 the United States and other global governments, 

5 particularly the G–7 nations, to advance a global 

6 Alzheimer’s and dementia research plan; 

7 (5) supports innovative public-private partner8 ship and the pursuit of innovative financing tools, 

9 incentives and other mechanisms to accelerate the 

10 pursuit of disease-modifying therapies; and 

11 (6) strives to— 

12 (A) double the amount of funding the 

13 United States spends on Alzheimer’s research 

14 in fiscal year 2017; and 

15 (B) develop a plan for fiscal years 2018 

16 through 2021 to meet the target of the Advi17 sory Council on Alzheimer’s Research, Care, 

18 and Services for the United States to spend 

19 $2,000,000,000 each year on Alzheimer’s re20 search. 

Æ 


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