Many of us have been personally touched by Alzheimer's disease, so we understand the human suffering and loss. Just as troubling, however, are recent reports from the Alzheimer's Association indicating that Medicare payments are almost three times as high for people with Alzheimer's disease and dementia than for others aged 65 and older, while Medicaid payments alone are more than nine times as high.

Early detection of Alzheimer's disease and early intervention with improved therapies provide the greatest opportunity to slow or stop disease progression - perhaps saving millions of lives and billions of health-care dollars. There are exciting new investigational drugs on the horizon, but progress toward new and better treatment options is slowed by a lack of research volunteers.

As a physician and clinical researcher, I encourage anyone who has concerns about memory loss to seek a medical evaluation. In addition, if you have been touched by Alzheimer's disease, I encourage you to consider whether joining a clinical research study might be an appropriate choice for you or someone you love.

Anita Chopra

Director

New Jersey Institute for Successful Aging, UMDNJ

Stratford