Alzheimer's Cases to Quadruple

From the Jon Barron Blog http://www.jonbarron.org/blog_published/2007/06/alzheimers_cases_to_quadruple...

Alzheimer's Cases to Quadruple

Researchers presenting yesterday at the International Conference on the Prevention of Dementia in Washington DC announced, “We face a looming global epidemic of Alzheimer’s disease as the world’s population ages.”

It is thought that 26 million people are living with Alzheimer's disease throughout the world today.  Yesterday’s announcement indicated that could quadruple to more than 106 million by 2050.  The biggest rise in cases, the study warned, would occur in Asia, where 48 percent of sufferers live. There, prevalence will grow from 12.65 million in 2006 to 62.85 million in 2050, accounting for 59 percent of all cases.

Ron Brookmeyer of Johns Hopkins University, who led the study, said, "By 2050, one in 85 people worldwide will have Alzheimer's disease. However, if we can make even modest advances in preventing Alzheimer's disease or delay its progression, we could have a huge global public health impact."

But we already can make a SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE. Heck! Just losing weight and doing crossword puzzles every day makes more than a modest difference.

Ah! But what they really mean is, “Make a difference with patentable drugs that generate huge amounts of money for struggling drug companies.