Proposed bill to increase funding for to Hispanics with Alzheimer's disease
09 06 08 - 18:46
U.S. Rep. Linda Sanchez purposes a bill that would increase funding for research of Latinos suffering from Alzheimer's disease, per Long Beach Press-Telegram report.
The Lakewood Democrat's La CURA, or the "Cure and Understanding through Research for Alzheimer's Act," would emphasize "linguistically and culturally appropriate care."
Sanchez wants to increase Latino participation in clinical trials at the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to better address the aging-related illness.
Details about how much funding the proposal would require are unknown but there would be an increase in funding to federal agencies for greater minority outreach.
"Alzheimer's is a heart-breaking disease that affects the entire family. We must do more to support families coping with Alzheimer's, as well as Alzheimer's patients themselves."
The number of American Hispanics with Alzheimer's is expected to increase dramatically due to longer lifespans and the increasing number of Hispanics in the U.S. population, Sanchez said.
Current Alzheimer's treatment and diagnosis do not always factor in linguistic and cultural differences that affect Hispanics and other minorities, the congresswoman said.
In November 2007, the Alzheimer's Association estimated that the numbers of Latinos with Alzheimer's will increase from 200,000 to 1.3million by 2050.
It is unclear how Alzheimer's disease affects.
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