Most Americans believe a cure for Alzheimer’s will be developed in their lifetime
A new Harris survey finds a majority are willing to take part in medical research .
A new survey released by Banner Alzheimer’s Institute (BAI), Novartis, and Amgen, in association with Alzheimer’s Disease International, finds that most U.S. adults (54%) are worried that they may develop Alzheimer’s, and a majority believe it is likely a cure will be developed in their lifetime (55%). The survey aims to raise awareness about how volunteers can take part in clinical studies to benefit Alzheimer’s research during World Alzheimer’s Month.
Alzheimer’s is the leading cause of dementia and affects 5.7 million Americans. This number is projected to increase to nearly 14 million by 2050i.The survey, conducted online by Harris Poll among more than 1,000 U.S. adults, revealed that 89% believe the solution to tackling diseases lies in medical research and 77% are willing to participate. However, many (67%) have no idea how to get involved in medical research.
September 2018 marks the 7th World Alzheimer’s Month and represents a chance for people to raise awareness, fundraise and find out more about how they can participate in research.
“We believe that a focus on prevention is vital to safeguard future generations,” said John Tsai, M.D., Global Head Drug Development and Chief Medical Officer for Novartis. “This survey highlights that greater awareness and support is needed to ensure people have the knowledge about clinical research studies to make a well-informed choice about getting involved.”
BAI, Novartis, and Amgen are sponsors of the API’s Generation Program, which is evaluating investigational treatments to help prevent or delay the onset of Alzheimer’s. The program is enrolling volunteers aged 60-75 who are at higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s but do not currently have or show signs of the disease. Information can be found at www.generationprogram.com.
The API Generation Program is the first to incorporate both genetic testing and counseling into the study screening process. Prospective participants referred to the program will be required to learn their APOE test results. Only those who learn they have one or two copies may be eligible to participate in the study.
Information about clinical trials is widely available online and from local patient advocacy groups. Details of Alzheimer’s clinical studies can be found on the Alzheimer’s Prevention Registry www.endALZnow.org/.
The U.S. survey was a part of the larger global survey about Alzheimer’s disease, including 10,000 people across 10 countries. The U.S. findings were consistent with global results.
The survey was conducted online by The Harris Poll on behalf of Banner Alzheimer’s Institute, Novartis and Amgen, among 1,010 adults 18+ living in the U.S. The survey was conducted between July 25 and August 21, 2018. Figures for age by gender, income, education, race/ethnicity, region, size of household, marital status, and employment status were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population.
