Fifty-four percent of Americans believe researchers will find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease in their lifetimes, according to a recent CBS News report, which also examines the latest clinical trials underway and Medicare costs associated with treating individuals with Alzheimer’s.
Caring for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease triples the average Medicare expenditure per person, reports CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook. Other highlights from his report, which also sources the Alzheimer’s Association:
■1 in 8 Americans over the age of 65 will eventually develop Alzheimer’s disease.
■Starting next year, 10,000 baby boomers will turn 65 every day.
■Over the next four decade, the number of individuals being treated for Alzheimer’s disease could triple; with 16 million being treated by 2050.
■Deaths from other causes such as heart disease and stroke have dropped in the last decade, deaths from Alzheimer’s disease have risen by 47 percent.
Dr. LaPook also reports on the latest clinical trials. One drug being tested right now seeks to slow the brain’s production of amyloid, a “plaque” that slows synapse function in the brain and destroys brain tissue. Presently, about 50 drugs in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease are being tested in more than 100 clinical trials nationwide.
See the CBS News video, “Finding a Cure for Alzheimer’s.”
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