Hillary Clinton proposed to raise research funding to $2 billion per year
(Mirror Daily, United States) – Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton wants to triple funding for Alzheimer’s disease in order to bring a cure by 2025. The neurodegenerative disease affects millions of lives, and brings a crippling condition to the patients, along with the worries of families. It’s a tragic illness that leads to a long, emotional, and unfortunate goodbye.
The rate of Alzheimer’s disease has gone up by a whopping 71% between 2000 and 2013. Even heart disease has declined during that time period by 14%, even though it’s still considered the lead cause of death in the United States. However, there have been improvements in the field, so there’s research to be done for Alzheimer’s as well.
Currently, there are 5 million people in the U.S. alone who live with the life-altering disease. By 2025, their numbers are estimated to grow to 15 million people. Clint, however, means to prevent that from happening, by calling out for more federal funding on research that would stop the disease, slow it down, or even cure it. It’s a beautiful prospective that would assure the day-to-day worries of many.
The Democratic presidential candidate has made her proposal to increase the funds for Alzheimer’s research from $586 million to $2 billion per year. Experts believe that it’s the perfect sum to bring a cure within the next decade. According to Robert Egge from the Alzheimer’s Impact Movement, this is the first time a presidential candidate makes the disease as one of the main issues. It’s now a “national conversation”.
And it probably should be.
Alzheimer’s is in the U.S. top 10 of leading causes of death, sitting on sixth place. It’s also the only one among them that currently has no ways of prevention, a treatment to slow it down, or a cure. It affects millions of lives, it will affect more, and yet there is no true way to combat it.
According to Clinton’s statement, funding in search for a cure is owed to the millions of people who suffer from it, and the other millions who stay up at night in worry for their family members or loved ones. They are daily facing the harsh reality of a long goodbye that further research might help with. With an effective investment, it’s possible that a cure could be found by 2025.
Furthermore, Clinton stated that the best scientific minds believe this to be possible. There is a real chance to improve the lives of many patients and their families.
Image source: nationofchange.org