Senate Bills - 110th Congress

S. 898—The Alzheimer’s Breakthrough Act of 2007

On March 15, Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) introduced S. 898, the Alzheimer’s Breakthrough Act of 2007. The House companion bill, H.R. 1560, was introduced on March 19. These bills would increase the authorization level for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) research, and require the Director of the NIA to make supporting AD research a priority for the Institute. In addition, the bills would require an expansion of clinical research on AD with a focus on (1) early diagnosis and detection, (2) the relationship of vascular disease and AD, and (3) expediting the translation of research findings into effective treatments and prevention strategies. The bills would require the Secretary, HHS, within 3 years of enactment of the legislation and every 3 years thereafter, to convene a summit on AD for the purpose of providing a detailed overview of current research activities at the NIH, as well as to discuss and solicit input to potential areas of collaboration between the NIH and other Federal agencies related to research, prevention and treatment of AD. S. 898 was referred to the Senate HELP Committee.

COMMITTEE/SUBCOMMITTEE ACTION

On July 25, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) (Senator Edward Kennedy [D-MA], Chair) reported out by unanimous consent S. 898, the Alzheimer’s Breakthrough Act of 2007, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. S. 898 would increase the authorization level for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) research, and require the Director of the NIA to make supporting AD research a priority for the Institute. In addition, the bill would require an expansion of clinical research on AD with a focus on (1) early diagnosis and detection, (2) the relationship of vascular disease and AD, and (3) expediting the translation of research findings into effective treatments and prevention strategies. S. 898 would require the Secretary, HHS, within 3 years of enactment of the legislation and every 3 years thereafter, to convene a summit on AD for the purpose of providing a detailed overview of current research activities at the NIH, as well as to discuss and solicit input to potential areas of collaboration between the NIH and other Federal agencies related to research, prevention and treatment of AD.

Legislative Update (May 2007): Alzheimer’s Disease