Politics have no business in Alzheimer’s progress

These are exciting times for those whose lives have been touched by Alzheimer’s, as promising medical advances could point the way toward diagnosing the disease earlier and treating it more effectively.

But that progress threatens to be derailed by a Trump Administration that is often indifferent to, or outright hostile toward, bedrock scientific research. Overcoming that shortsightedness requires a bipartisan effort among elected officials and continued pressure from Americans affected by the disease in some way.

With more than 7 million Americans suffering from Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related diseases, and tens of millions of friends and family members serving as caretakers, standing by is simply not an option.

“I see how much hope research provides our patients,” Mark Albers, a neurologist and researcher as Mass General Brigham, told the Boston Globe. “Extra headwinds are only going to slow down the field.”

But let’s start with the good news, namely a recent study aimed at improving early diagnosis and treatment of a disease that is expected to double in prevalence by 2060.

Researchers reported Wednesday that a new blood test may predict if seemingly healthy older adults are likely to develop Alzheimer’s symptoms over the next five or 10 years.

No, it’s not a cure, or even a treatment, but it would allow those facing a possible diagnosis time to learn preventative strategies that could lessen the daily impact of the disease, or get into clinical trials for new medications.

Granted, learning one is likely to develop Alzheimer’s is frightening, but living with the disease is much worse. And medical professionals say it’s still too soon for healthy people to seek out the test, in part because there is still much to be learned about the cause and treatment of the disease.

“Wait and get tested when you can potentially do something about it,” study author Dr. Reisa Sperling of the Mass General Brigham Neuroscience Institute told The Associated Press. “At this point I wouldn’t change what I would tell someone to do. I’d still tell them to eat well, sleep well, exercise a lot and stay engaged.”

Eventually, the hope is the blood tests will improve to the point where they can point patients toward individualized treatments. Again, prospects for those treatments, however, are endangered by the Trump Administration’s shortsighted approach to research funding.

New rules promulgated by the federal Office of Management and Budget would allow the government to terminate research grants at any time, kill grants for work that doesn’t align with the politics of the executive branch, and end projects that rely on collaboration with overseas colleagues.

Much of Alzheimer’s research, for example, requires large data sets, and American scientists routinely work with their counterparts overseas – the disease doesn’t discriminate against nationalities. The Trump Administration, however, does. The rules changes, set to go into effect Oct. 1, would take decision-making away from scientists and give it to political appointees. Congress has the ability to override the change, but it would take bipartisan cooperation. Given that Alzheimer’s doesn’t care if you’re a Republican or a Democrat, the next step for lawmakers is clear.

Northeastern University law professor Jeremy Paul put it best, telling the Globe, “If our country wanted to commit suicide, it’s hard for me to think of anything that would be more effective at doing so than these rules.”

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