DEAR EDITOR:

At a time when more than 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s, including more than 236,000 in Ohio, prioritizing how this devastating disease is addressed remains a critical issue for our country.

Today, Alzheimer’s is the seventh-leading cause of death in the United States and one of our country’s most expensive diseases.

These are among the many reasons we must work toward increased funding for research that would impact the lives of those living with Alzheimer’s, as well as their caregivers. And with the recent development of several new treatments that actually focus on the underlying causes of Alzheimer’s, we know that after decades of attempts, science is getting ever closer to a cure.

We also need to ensure greater access to such future diagnostic methods and treatments, as well as improve the quality of care for those with dementia.

That is why I am urging Congress, including Rep. Michael Rulli, Rep. David Joyce and their fellow congressmembers from Ohio, to support the bipartisan Alzheimer’s Screening and Prevention (ASAP) Act and Accelerating Access to Dementia and Alzheimer’s Provider Training (AADAPT) Act.

With the advent of future blood tests for key indicators of Alzheimer’s disease, I would argue that such blood tests give patients the same ability to seek early treatment and life changes that such diagnostic tests as pap smears, PSA screening and mammography have long been afforded to cancer patients via Medicare coverage. Easily accessible blood tests, such as P-Tau 217, can be utilized by informed and educated primary care physicians in conjunction with cognitive screening exams for much-needed early diagnoses.

Passage of these two bills would work in concert to assist primary care physicians in providing their patients with timely and current care that all of our governmental representatives should want for their constituents. For these reasons, I urge Congress to support both the ASAP and AADAPT bills to bring early diagnostic and treatment options to all Americans.

ALLISON KREINER, M.D.

Sherrodsville