releases: https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases/capito-stabenow-lead-bipartisan-letter-urging-focus-on-alzheimers-in-women
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases/capito-stabenow-lead-bipartisan-letter-urging-focus-on-alzheimers-in-women | Capito, Stabenow Lead Bipartisan Letter Urging Focus on Alzheimers in Women | 2017-11-09 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | WV | Shelley Capito | C001047 | www.capito.senate.gov | legacy | 11.09.17 Capito, Stabenow Lead Bipartisan Letter Urging Focus on Alzheimers in Women WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) this week led a bipartisan group of female senators in sending a letter urging the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to address the effects of Alzheimers and related dementia, particularly on women. Dementia effects more women than men, and while we do not know why, we know that two-thirds of the 5 million seniors with Alzheimers disease are women. Additionally, two-thirds of family caregivers are women, and 19% have left paying jobs to provide unpaid care for a loved one, the senators wrote in the letter to HHS Acting Secretary Eric Hargan. So, we, as women leaders in Congress and as supporters of women, are making fighting back against dementia a national priority. We urge you to join us in meeting the Alzheimers crisis head-on, they continued. Together we can improve the lives of millions of American women by reducing the high cost of dementia and better supporting the needs of those with dementia and their caregivers. As the department responsible for implementing the National Alzheimers Project Act (NAPA), the senators asked that HHS prioritize a number of items in its ongoing summits and planning process, including funding for research, sex-based research, economic impact, diagnosis and treatment, and brain health. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) also signed the letter. Led by Senators Capito and Stabenow, the women of the Senate haven taken an important stand, calling on the Department of Health and Human Services to address the needs of women as the primary victims of Alzheimers, said Jill Lesser, president of WomenAgainstAlzheimers. As an advocate for women, a daughter, caregiver and mother, I know that 80 percent of the financial and health burdens of Alzheimers fall on women, who are two-thirds of the caregivers and patients today. As our society ages, Alzheimers is a crisis for women that must be urgently addressed. Alzheimers disease is costing our nation money, time, and ultimately the lives of our loved ones and women are bearing the greatest burden as victims and caregivers, said George Vradenburg, chairman and co-founder of UsAgainstAlzheimers. I applaud Senator Capitos tireless leadership in the fight against Alzheimers and her efforts to improve the lives of the millions of women living with and caring for a loved one with dementia. Senators Capito and Stabenow previously worked together to introduce the Health Outcomes, Planning, and Education (HOPE) for Alzheimers Act and the Alzheimers Beneficiary and Caregiver Support Act. During her time in Congress, Senator Capito has also introduced other legislation related to Alzheimers diseaseincluding the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Actand as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, she continues working to secure funding for Alzheimers research. The full letter to HHS is below, and a PDF is available here. The Honorable Eric D. Hargan Acting Secretary, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Hubert H. Humphrey Building 200 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20201 Dear Acting Secretary Hargan, As the Acting Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which implements the ongoing National Alzheimers Project Act (NAPA), we urge you to address the effects of Alzheimers and related dementia, particularly on women. Dementia costs Americans time healthy years from their lives and money, in the form of care, lost productivity and medical needs. In 2017, the direct costs of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia will be an estimated $259 billion. Much of this is privately funded by American families, unpaid caregivers and people living with the condition. Overall, women bear the greatest burden of this cost. Dementia effects more women than men, and while we do not know why, we know that two-thirds of the 5 million seniors with Alzheimers disease are women. Additionally, two-thirds of family caregivers are women, and 19% have left paying jobs to provide unpaid care for a loved one. So, we, as women leaders in Congress and as supporters of women, are making fighting back against dementia a national priority. In order to respond quickly and decisively to Alzheimers and related dementias, we ask that NAPA prioritize the following items in its ongoing summits and planning process: Funding for research: There is bi-partisan consensus that funding our National Institutes of Health is critical for curing and treating our nation's worst diseases. Alzheimer's is perhaps our greatest challenge today - there is no disease-modifying treatment and no drug has been approved by the FDA for more than a decade. Greater NIH funding for Alzheimers research is critical to finding a cure. Sex-Based Research: With 4.2 million women suffering today, sex-based studies must be a research priority and studies should be designed, analyzed and reported by sex. In the case of women of Latina or African-American backgrounds, differences in prevalence are particularly stark. We must understand the communities at greatest risk for dementia and ensure that future treatments are available and accessible. Economic Impact: We must mend social support, medical, and workplace systems to ease the costs of dementia to the US economy, the government, and to individuals and families. Diagnosis and Treatment: People with dementia need to be diagnosed as early as possible to support clinical research, receive critical care interventions and to help them plan for the future. Early detection must be made a priority to health care providers, with Medicare policies leading the way. Brain Health: Reducing the risk of dementia could prevent nearly 1/3 of cases, and vastly reduce the associated costs. Public health education and leadership are needed to raise awareness of what can be done to reduce dementia risk. We urge you to join us in meeting the Alzheimers crisis head-on. Together we can improve the lives of millions of American women by reducing the high cost of dementia and better supporting the needs of those with dementia and their caregivers. As you consider these requests and the impact Alzheimers disease has on women, we would request that you provide a response to us detailing how the Department will address these concerns in subsequent iterations of the National Plan to Address Alzheimers Disease, including specific strategies and milestones you will take to address the burden of Alzheimers on women. # # # | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |