The federal government would receive $1.26 billion for Alzheimer’s research under a U.S. House of Representatives Labor, Health and Human Services Subcommittee funding bill put forth this week for fiscal year 2017. The amount is a $350 million increase over the current funding level.
The proposed Alzheimer’s funding is part of the $33.3 billion budgeted in the bill for the National Institutes of Health, an amount that is $1.25 billion more than the level enacted for fiscal year 2016 and $2.25 billion above President Barack Obama’s discretionary budget request.
The Alzheimer’s Association praised the move. “Today, Alzheimer’s disease is the only leading cause of death without a way to prevent, cure or even slow its progression,” said Harry Johns, the organization’s president and CEO. “Only research will change this.”
The full House Appropriations Committee may act on the spending bill as early as next week.
The House Subcommittee’s action follows by about a month the Senate Appropriations Committee’s proposed historic $400 million increase in funding for Alzheimer’s disease.
