As of March 2022, annual federal funding for Alzheimer's research in the United States will be more than $3.5 billion. For decades, millions of Americans and their families have been waiting for improved, if not effective, therapies for Alzheimer's and other dementia. Worldwide, researchers work to find solutions for those living with a disease we do not understand, do not know the cause, and do not know how to treat. In the United States alone, more than 6 million Americans live with Alzheimer's, with this number expected to more than double by 2050. Currently, 1 in 3 seniors dies with Alzheimer's or another dementia, more deaths than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. More than 11 million Americans provide unpaid care for the victims of this disease with only minimal support from state or federal agencies. Despite the massive investment in pharmaceutical interventions, only four drugs have been approved for Alzheimer's treatment, most introduced in the 1980s. With virtually no progress in treatment options in decades, this presentation reviews the medico-treatment model for Alzheimer's and related dementias and why almost all the chemical interventions have failed in Stage II clinical trials. The presentation will discuss the amyloid hypothesis crisis and how that reflects on this research modality globally. Finally, the presentation will discuss the challenges and conflicts inherent in depending upon publicly traded pharmaceutical companies to report risks, benefits, and costs in an unbiased manner.

Authors:
James McNally, University of Michigan, United States

About the Presenter(s)
Dr James McNally is a University Associate Professor/Senior Lecturer at University of Michigan in United States

See this presentation on the full schedule – Saturday Schedule

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