First Major Survey of Baby Boomer Attitudes on Alzheimer's Shows Fear About Their Own Future and Frustration Over Pace of New Drug Approvals (PDF)
[27 April 2006 - ACT-AD (Accelerate Cure/Treatments for Alzheimer's Disease) Coalition] Historic ACT-AD Coalition calls for recognition of Alzheimer's as an urgent national health crisis, activation of Baby Boomers, and acceleration of therapy approvals -- As the first Baby Boomers turn 60 this year, they are beginning to confront the consequences of growing older. A new survey shows the majority of Boomers are anxious about how Alzheimer's disease (AD) will affect their health and quality of life. At the same time, Boomers are frustrated that the government and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) do not adequately address adequately this looming public health crisis. The findings from the first major survey of over 1,000 American Baby Boomers about Alzheimer's disease were announced today by a newly formed coalition of 21 leading advocacy groups known as ACT-AD (Accelerate Cure/Treatments for Alzheimer's Disease). "These survey findings underscore the fact that when Baby Boomers are asked to address the potential of Alzheimer's in their future, they are clearly not ready emotionally, psychologically or financially," said Daniel Perry, executive director of the Alliance for Aging Research and chair of the ACT-AD Coalition. ... In summary, survey results reveal that when provided with basic information on Alzheimer's disease, the vast majority of Baby Boomers are extremely concerned about the potential impact on their health, quality of life and finances as well as on the healthcare system. ... Key Findings include:

• Personal Preparedness for Alzheimer's -- 90 to 95 percent of
  respondents said that they would either be unprepared or would find
  life "not worth living" if they were forced to face limitations common
  to the disease by the time they were 70. These limitations included
  basic abilities (not being able to dress or toilet themselves), social
  interactions (not being able to recognize family members) and mental
  abilities (not being able to remember who or where they are).
• Cost of Alzheimer's -- 80 percent of respondents said that their
  current savings would not be sufficient to cover the cost of care if
  they were diagnosed and 81 percent said the same thing about their
  families' savings. 83 percent said they are also worried that the
  healthcare system is under-prepared to cover the demands of the coming
  Alzheimer's crisis.
• Treatment Options -- Only 8 percent of respondents feel that current
  treatments are adequate. In fact, most (80 percent) are willing to
  take experimental treatments that have the potential for stopping the
  disease and preserving their quality of life, even if significant
  health risk was involved. Respondents put the highest priority on
  drugs that stop the disease/loss of mental abilities (84 percent) or
  that reverse the disease/loss of mental abilities (82 percent), even
  though current drugs do none of these things. 90 percent of
  respondents felt that drugs that have this potential should be given
  the same priority review and fast track status that the FDA gives to
  drugs for other life-threatening diseases as cancer and HIV/AIDS.
• Satisfaction with Government/FDA -- When provided with an overview of
  the FDA's current review policy for Alzheimer's drugs, 82 percent of
  respondents remained unsure about what the government is doing to
  prioritize Alzheimer's, but most (84 percent) feel that more should be
  done and over 75 percent feel that Alzheimer's should be made a top
  priority. 89 percent feel that promising Alzheimer's drugs deserve
  the same priority status and fast track review that the FDA uses for
  drugs for other serious diseases. ...