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“The emotional, financial and social consequences of Alzheimer’s disease are so devastating it deserves special attention. Research is the only hope.” - President Ronald Reagan, 1983

The Alzheimer's Association is dedicated to improving the current medical practices for persons with Alzheimer's and related dementias. Our goal is to work with persons with dementia, their families and healthcare providers to promote greater awareness of treatment options and to improve current systems of health care delivery. In the past decade, many discoveries have been made in the areas of research and treatment. As never before, the research and medical community is offering hope in the management of this devastating disease.

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For more information, click on the topics below:

Clinical Trials
Research Grants
Donating to Research

Clinical Trials

What are clinical trials:

• New drugs or new treatments must be shown to be both safe and effective before they are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
• Typically, this is accomplished by clinical trials, carefully conducted research studies designed to evaluate new drugs and new treatment plans.
• Clinical trials are normally carried out in three phases, each involving a larger number of people.
• Phase I studies are mostly concerned with assessing the drug's safety.
• Phase II studies test for the drug's efficacy.
• Phase III studies are large-scale tests that may last several years.

Before making a decision to participate in a clinical trial:

• Ask the physician whether or not enrolling may benefit the person with the disease.
• Visit the National Alzheimer’s Association website in order to read about the clinical trials currently under way.
• Make contact with a study center and be prepared to answer questions about the person’s condition.
• This initial contact usually will include a phone interview by a researcher to determine eligibility for the study.

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Questions the researcher may ask:

• When a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s was made.
• What other health problems the person has.
• Whether the person resides at home or in a facility.
• If a caregiver will be available to assist the person throughout the duration of the study.
• What medications the person is taking or has taken in the past.
• If the person and caregiver can come to the study site for additional testing to determine eligibility.

Other considerations before participating in a clinical trial:

• It can require a serious time commitment from participants and caregivers.
• Researchers conducting the study rely on caregivers to administer the drug according to schedule, return with the participant to the study site for regular follow-up visits, and report any changes in the participant’s condition or behavior
• The trial may involve some risk because clinical studies determine the effectiveness and safety of a drug.
• There is a chance the drug being tested will be helpful, and in cases where the drug causes discomfort, a participant can drop out of the study at any time.
• Trials use placebos (inactive substances) so the participant may not get an active drug.
• However, often after a study has yielded positive results with few reported side effects, members of the placebo group are given the option to receive the experimental drug.

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Research Grants

The Alzheimer's Association National Office makes research grants throughout the country, the research grant program supports core goals of the Association's mission to eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research and to enhance care and support for individuals, their families, and caregivers. In 2004, the Association awarded 71 projects more than $15 million. Since awarding its first grants in 1982, the Association has funded more than $165 million in projects.

Further information about specific grants that have been made for research, as well as deadlines for upcoming grant cycles are available on the National Alzheimer’s Association website.

Donating to Support Research

Please join us in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. Your Gift will enable us to advance our vision of "Creating a world without Alzheimer's disease while optimizing quality of life for individuals and their families affected by dementia-related disorders." All donations are tax deductible. You may make a donation to the Chapter to support research on-line, by phone or mail.

Should you choose to designate your gift for research, 100% of your gift will support Alzheimer’s research efforts at the national level. Through the collective support of Alzheimer’s Chapters from around the country, the Alzheimer’s Association is the largest private funder of Alzheimer’s disease research.

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