(From Scott Sundberg, Hub City Radio)
A federal government shutdown could stall progress on Alzheimer’s research, drug trials, and caregiver support, according to the South Dakota chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.
State Executive Director Leslie Morrow said even a brief lapse in funding carries consequences.
“It’s important to keep in mind that even a shutdown of only a few days could have a significant impact on Alzheimer’s research, clinical trials, and progress on new drugs,” Morrow said. “Any interruption in government support slows down the pipeline, and families don’t have time to wait.”
Why It Matters: The warning comes as Alzheimer’s affects more than 16,500 South Dakotans and 27,000 family members and friends who care for them. Nationally, more than 7 million Americans live with the disease, which is a leading cause of death. Nearly 12 million provide unpaid care. The Alzheimer’s Association says new FDA-approved drugs can slow the disease’s progression, but research momentum is critical to getting more treatments to patients.
Morrow said the new medications are a breakthrough.
“There are two treatments now that are being delivered that can actually change the course of this disease for the first time,” she said. “The two treatments that are available right now are Lekembe and Casunla, and they actually work to remove the amyloid that builds up on the brain.”
She also pointed to summer research showing gains in early detection and treatment.
“In July, we also got the results of the U.S. Pointer Study, which looked at how lifestyle interventions, eating well, moving your body, cognitive exercise, how that can influence your risk for getting this disease,” she said. “What we suspected, we now have a great body of proof that showed all of those things when they are closely monitored can absolutely reduce your risk.”
Morrow said her organization is monitoring the shutdown’s potential impact closely.
“We just want to make sure that we keep up our momentum as far as this research funding with the NIH,” she said. “We don’t want things to stop, to lose that momentum because we’ve already come so far.”
More information is available at alz.org.
