AMDA Foundation - Research Alliance Advocates Further Study on Three Diseases

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Vol XI, Jan `05

Research Alliance Advocates Further Study on Three Diseases

Vol XI, Jan `05

Increased federal research funding could help millions of sick elderly Americans find better treatments and enable prevention for many more, according to the Alliance on Aging Research in Washington, DC. At a recent conference on Capitol Hill, the organization discussed three diseases that demand special attention because, as Executive Director Daniel Perry noted, they affect a growing number of people but "do not receive government research investments that match their importance." Perry identified these conditions as incontinence, COPD, and macular degeneration.

These diseases affect 41 million Americans in total, yet studies addressing them account for barely 1% of the nearly $30 million federal research budget. The Alliance is reaching out to legislators and regulatory decision makers on this issue and urges others to join their efforts to encourage a multi-faceted approach to moving beyond first-generation treatment for these diseases. They also encourage researchers to consider addressing these diseases in their research.

For more information and research updates, see www.agingresearch.org.