{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=362547", "Smith Chairs Congressional Hearing on Alzheimer's Crisis in the U.S. & World", "2013-11-21", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The national epidemic and potential world pandemic of Alzheimer\u2019s Disease was the topic of a congressional hearing today before the House global health panel chaired by Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), who also co-chairs the bipartisan Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer\u2019s Disease. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Over five million Americans suffer from the debilitating disease. Some experts estimate that Alzheimer\u2019s costs Americans over $180 billion annually, which could rise to over $1 trillion a year by 2050. Next month at the G-8 Dementia Summit in the United Kingdom, health ministers from G-8 countries will discuss strategies to address the global challenge of Alzheimer\u2019s and other forms of dementia. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cCurrently, more than 35 million people worldwide live with some form of dementia,\u201d Smith said. \u201cBy 2050, this population is projected to triple and affect more than 115 million people. As populations age across the globe, today's crisis may become tomorrow's catastrophe.\u201d Click here to read Congressman Smith\u2019s opening remarks or here to watch. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThe struggle to meet the challenge of HIV-AIDS has been tremendous, but it is one we have made great strides in addressing,\u201d Smith said. \u201cWe must do no less in the struggle against Alzheimer\u2019s and other forms of dementia.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Testifying at Smith\u2019s hearing were: Matthew Baumgart, Senior Director of Public Policy, Alzheimer\u2019s Association; Andrea Pfeifer, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer, of Switzerland-based AC Immune, and; George Vradenburg, Chairman and Founder, USAgainstAlzheimer\u2019s.  \r\n  \r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Baumgart drew attention to the bipartisan National Alzheimer\u2019s Project Act (NAPA) (P.L. 111-375) \u2013co-authored by Smith and former Rep. Ed-Markey of Mass\u2014which passed Congress unanimously in 2010. The Act requires the creation of an annually-updated strategic National Alzheimer\u2019s Plan to help those with the disease and their families today and to change the trajectory of the disease for the future, \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cBecause of the Plan, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) finally has created a blueprint for Alzheimer\u2019s research that includes a timeline and milestones toward the goal of preventing and effectively treating Alzheimer\u2019s by 2025,\u201d Baumgart said. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThe health ministers from the G8 nations will meet the first ever global summit on dementia to help improve management of the disease and accelerate the development of new treatments under the leadership of the UK government,\u201d Pfiffer said. \u201cThe high-level summit, which is to be held in London on December 11, will host discussion to shape an effective international solution to dementia, including looking for effective therapies and responses to slow dementia\u2019s impact... . The G8 have a unique chance to help people manage dementia better, lead healthier lives and deliver real improvements in care and substantial economic savings.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cI encourage this subcommittee to continue doing what you are doing in conducting invaluable oversight of U.S. and global efforts to address the Alzheimer\u2019s crisis,\u201d Vradenburg said. \u201cI also urge you to consider opportunities to work with a growing body of parliamentarians in other nations\u2013particularly the UK, the European Union, and Japan\u2013who are also deeply interested in stopping Alzheimer\u2019s and dementia and willing to engage in dialogue with fellow parliamentarians on this topic.\u201d\r\nClick here to watch the hearing or read the statements of the witnesses.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=362547"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8580670692026615, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}